Human Qualities
by Kulaas
Summary: Loneliness is the worst affliction. She was a recluse who chose not to cure her own case. Having been detached for so long, she must pull herself together to find her place in the fading world. Tsubaki might find her answers in Akatsuki.
1. It's Natural to be Afraid

_"Can I be angry?"_

_"Questioning the validity of your emotion is like asking why the sun shines."_

* * *

><p>Negligence. Negligence and bad luck. Such a combination could ruin any warrior. This particular one should have known better. Bad luck was a reoccurring thing as of late. For him at least: Hoshigaki Kisame. He was a formidable missing-nin, a Swordsman of the Mist, a member of a lethal organization. How could he of all people even be noticed, let alone scratched, by passing jonin returning to Konohagakure? Could it be because one particular jonin had previous knowledge of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and the sword Samehada? Was it that the lack of sleep that made him careless? Was it because he stuck out against the emerald forest backdrop? Or was it all simply bad luck?<p>

Nonetheless, there he was in a mediocre village at the base of a southern mountain, bleeding, tired, and pissed off. Sure, the swordsman had beaten the three jonin, ripped them to shreds, and set their bodies ablaze leaving only the gut-twisting smell of burnt flesh. But what was the merit for him? Only the slaking of his bloodlust and a waste of time. Kisame barely had any money left and absolutely no food. His taste for food pills disappeared long ago despite their convenience. To make it worse was the throbbing gash in his right arm. Kisame didn't carry a medical kit; he never needed it. He'd either die or there'd be no major wounds at all. This pain was minimal. He'd had worse. Still, he knew leaving it to fester would cause a bigger problem. One jonin had used an acid blade that prevented Kisame's or Samehada's chakra from healing the wound as it usually would. If he had a partner already maybe he wouldn't be in this mess. Kisame growled out a sigh and his stomach rumbled. At least Samehada had a good meal of flesh and chakra from those fallen ninja.

* * *

><p>Another dark day in Kaede village. Even at the peak of the day thick clouds blocked out most of the sun. A young woman glanced out the window of her small house on the edge of the village, something she rarely did even on the darkest days. Her eyes wide with alert interest, she picked up the smallest things overlooked by the hoi polloi: the faintest shine of balding skin revealed under the corner of a man's hairpiece after a breeze, a small spider about to make its way into a woman's purse, the fading of an errand boy's uniform smock, and there on the dirt road next to a food vendor was a short trail of black spots. Blood?<p>

* * *

><p>This village wasn't the poorest he'd seen, but Kisame wasn't too impressed. At least it was large enough to have a distinct change of class between the upper and lower districts. His black organization cloak covered him from his feet to his chin, and his straw kasa hat covered his head and most of his eyes. Even with all of this concealed the people of the upper district wouldn't answer him straight about a local medic or apothecary. "Ask someone else," they had said, or "try another town." Perhaps it was the aura set off by his boiling blood that put them off. But he couldn't cause a scene. Kisame was to return to base as soon as he could without drawing attention to himself; he didn't want Akatsuki knowing about this little slip up. The deaths of the jonin wouldn't reach their home village until a few days from now. He had time for simple treatment and a meal… If his sanity provided it. The urge to rip up the previous folk was stronger than the last. He should leave the wound alone and just continue on his way, infection be damned. Even with all his practiced good manners, basic animalistic instinct couldn't be ignored for long.<p>

Kisame ventured into the eastern part of the village. He appeared next to the nearest unsavory looking character and asked, "Is there any type of medic in this forsaken dump?"

The street thug jumped in his ragged clothing, startled by the large cloaked man nearly a foot taller than him. The shorter vantage revealed the man's dangerous white eyes when the thug looked up.

With a slight quiver he managed, "Y-yeah. You can't go into the higher class places looking like that though. They don't trust what they can't see." Kisame growled with impatience. "But uh, they say there's a w-woman on the edge of town who has basic skills in healing…"

Kisame walked where the man pointed farther east, ready to hurry out of there. Funny. The little aristocrats had no fear to deny Kisame his needs, but a criminal shook in fear at just his presence. The thug exhaled a sigh of relief when the man was far enough away. "Hey," he yelled out with more confidence. "But I hear she's a witch."

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><p>As far away all those tiny things were, the young woman delighted in finding them. Her wandering eyes moved back into her home as she put onto the stove a kettle full of milk. The stove fed on a steady supply of cedar wood and had to be lit manually. She searched around the cluttered counter for the matches. She stopped, distracted, when she saw a single strand of her hair on the counter, twisting and bending in loops. The strand was so long she found one end and followed slowly the length of the hair, her gaze looping and twisting. At the other end she found the matches waiting open for her, as if they had set up the whole trail and openly admitted "Okay you found me!" She smiled in good humor.<p>

She felt the grit of the match head before striking it. The wood slowly got more greedy as it fed on the small flames of the match. A loud clank sounded when she shut the hatch. Had there been another noise? She waited…

It had gotten warmer in the kitchen, but she pulled her jacket tighter. Knocks flooded the door in a quick burst. She winced. She wondered if their knuckles had hurt after. Company usually averted her, not the other way around. She counted the five steps it took to get the door. Without looking through the eyehole she pulled the door open. She wanted it to be a surprise.

* * *

><p>The door was opened by an older girl. A younger woman? Kisame didn't care. He just needed what he wanted, wondering if this woman had any capabilities at all. She looked questionable. Her dark brown hair was a disheveled mess, sticking out in every direction. Her skin was entirely pale, most likely from her reclusion, but her eyes were alert and unfaltering. Kisame couldn't see much else. Her drab beige coat covered her from her knees to her nose, almost similar to his. Her clothing looked three sizes too big , since they were baggy and defined no curves of her shape. The coat, being a stiffer material and wider at the bottom, gave her large bell shape. The sleeves were also much too long, going far past her fingertips. What could be seen of her legs looked normal enough.<p>

"You're the witch who knows medicine?" Kisame finally asked, leftover anger from the day still crashing inside him.

She didn't react to the word witch. Maybe she was used to it by now. She only nodded and pointed to a sign behind her. 'No severe/life-threatening injuries.' Kisame took off his hat which she understood as compliance and moved aside to allow him in. The house was somewhat clean, only a few areas piled with useless trinkets. He placed the kasa on some crates by the door and followed the small bell woman into a room just left of the door.

How curious! She could hardly contain herself. She'd seen all various shades of tans, browns, peaches, even red. But blue? Even his hair, a darker cobalt, caught her eye. And his eyes…Usually the only patients she had were mad or criminals. He was a criminal, no doubt, but he was a different breed altogether. The look in his white eyes flowed out it's black ridges and into her brown ones. Still, something seemed different…

She walked him into her tiny clinic only big enough for a bookshelf, a desk and chair, and a narrow medical bed. She and this large man barely fit in. She motioned for him to sit on the bed and went to her desk. A smile spread through her pink lips as she turned her back to him. She reached into her supply kit with anticipation at this new visitor. The young woman openly mused to herself about what this blue man could be like. How exciting!

"Would you prefer not to exchange names?"

Kisame flinched at the voice. Like wooden chimes. It wasn't a displeasing sound; it was just the purest thing he'd heard all day (compared to the screams of those dying men). He realized there was no trick in her tone, no backwards means to coax him into telling her his name as most females would. She sounded as if she was simply taking an order. It was as if she had said, "What would you like to drink?" This was standard procedure.

"Hoshigaki Kisame," he stated without much thought. She seemed oblivious to his identity or even his headband, which was outstanding proof he was a rogue. If she sold him out he'd come back here. She was a recluse, where would she go?

Glass vials clinked around as she searched through her medical box. "Tsubaki Majoko." As her voice chimed again, Kisame settled down. He'd get stitched up and leave in no time. He was expecting some crazy voodoo woman. She turned around raising her slender hands. She had rolled the sleeves up a little. "May I see the wound please, Hoshigaki-san."

He opened his cloak and took out his right arm, ignoring the small twitch of pain. Kisame had wrapped up part of the gash with Samehada's bandages. They had all been soaked though of course. Blood wet and dry smeared his upper arm. New blood was still trickling through. Tsubaki moved the chair next to him so she could begin the healing process. She didn't wince at the blood or grimace while she worked, as most did. She'd cut off the bandages and began preparing a swab of alcohol with a straight face and vigilant eyes. Though her mouth was a hard line, Kisame felt the smile in her eyes.

Now that she was closer to him she forced the smile away. He was so blue she couldn't stand it. Tsubaki grit her teeth. Her fingertips begged to touch his bloody arm with her bare hands. The red was such a beautiful contrast.

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"No."

Tsubaki felt him tense slightly from the cold swab against his skin. She felt it too, sinking through the cotton, and smelled the sharpness of the alcohol. Curiously she glanced up at him. He didn't wince or whine or writhe. He just looked straight with an almost angry expression. The surgical needle and thread Tsubaki had stuck into her rolled sleeves found it's way into her hands as she examined him more. His nose was sharp, but broad, and his chin strong. Above his high cheekbones were black markings like jagged crescents, much like the ones on his shoulder. Kisame finally looked down at her, his upper lip slowly curling into a sneer.

Tsubaki met his eyes shamelessly, taking this chance to study his eyes. Her head was slowly tilting as the light on his white eyes changed. His sneer deepened, which delighted her with the surprise of his pointed teeth. "You might want to hurry up, Witch Tsubaki," he growled. "I think time is healing this wound."

She highly doubted that. Closing her eyes slowly, she smiled and turned back to his open flesh. Tsubaki stared the exposed muscle tissue as she readied the needle. This was always her favorite part.

Majoko's shaking hands reached cautiously for the his wound. Kisame tensed as her cold fingertips came into contact with his tender flesh. They both discreetly bit down on the inside of their bottom lips.

The needle swiftly moved through the tissues of his arm, almost of it's own accord. As the cord pulled through, the flesh slowly closed. Majoko's concentration was firmly set onto not breaking into a nervous fit. Any mistake could be more dangerous for her than it was for him. Kisame merely glanced down at the work before moving his gaze elsewhere. The woman didn't give him any trouble aside from being unnaturally silent for someone of her gender. Maybe it was fear that silenced her.

"Do you make a hobby out of this?" Kisame grunted.

Majoko jerked away, luckily done with the needle. She looked up from the stitches, her face looking tired and listless. "Out of what, Hoshigaki-san?"

He grimaced at her expression before turning away with a sideways smirk. "Fixing up dangerous criminals," he said casually, looking down at her through the corner of his fierce eyes. "It's a little strange...and stupid, Tsubaki."

Kisame chuckled through his jagged teeth before sucking it back in with a hiss. Majoko applied a light, green salve to his mended wound (which had caught him with a sting of surprise) and reached for the bandages. Kisame detected the twitch of satisfaction in her lips. Slowly, she began winding the roll of cloth around his bicep.

"I suppose it is," she answered simply. "But most of my patients have more of a bark than a bite."

Kisame only sucked his teeth at her naive response and regretted making conversation. Clearly he wasn't going to have a very stimulating chat with someone stupid enough to think he couldn't lop their head off in a second. But, Majoko was actually very conscious of the dangers her work entailed. Being so far from the center of the town attracted a number of unsavory characters. Still, she liked to believe she could handle anyone, criminal or otherwise, if they sought out her help. Then again, maybe she really was naive. Tsubaki Majoko became practically blind to anyone past sins if they needed medical attention. It wasn't in her heart. At least, not for most.

As she neared the end of the bandage roll she took a last chance to secretly slide her fingertips from the fibrous material to his firm skin. Being so close made it even more apparent that his chakra reserve was so enormous. Majoko secured the bandage with a knot, trying to hold onto the feeling. Patients were often far and few between and medical gloves sheathed her hands for most procedures, as they should have been this time. So seldom did she come into contact with real human flesh it seemed. There was no lust or attraction in her light touch, just the wanting of the unfamiliar feeling of skin. Of another human being.

Perhaps that was why the oddity of Kisame's color excited her so intensely. Or maybe it was the aura of his chakra filling the room. Majoko laughed inwardly at her own desperation. Becoming a recluse really ups your chance of becoming insane. She had almost forgotten the annoyance that most people were to her.

Flexing his arm out and in, Kisame smirked. "Well, I live to kill another day. Not that I would have died from a little scrape." Majoko barely showed any response as she put away her supplies. "You can consider your spared life payment," his sharp teeth flashed as he laughed.

"That's very kind of you Hoshigaki-san," Majoko replied plainly, taking her seat again. "But since I'm not done yet that wouldn't be fair." She looked up at him with a playful smile with the same tired eyes. "My life for an unfinished treatment? You'd at least have to leave me with a broken leg."

Kisame chuckled at her grim humor. "Sounds like a deal then."

The curve of her smile ghosted away before she moved her hands above his bandaged wound. The moment her hands glowed with chakra she found herself pinned against the wall by her neck. The crashing sound seemed to resonate in her ears hours after the tightening pain of her throat.

"So you are a shinobi?" Kisame sighed. "I get to kill you after all."

Just the very look of his menacing eyes and the glint of his teeth pierced Majoko's insides. Never once had she been so frightened or so very sure that she could never take on a man like Kisame Hoshigaki. Perhaps if years of reclusion hadn't dulled her skills she could. Other rogue patients Majoko could destroy without question, but him? She felt her stomach clench as he reached for his sword with his other hand. She felt embarrassment accompanying her fear. Maybe, she thought, telling him beforehand about my medical jutsu would have been better.

Gasping for oxygen Majoko managed to choke out, "Actually...I'm just...Performing a...A medical technique." She stumbled for balance and coughed violently as his giant fist released her and continued. "I don't know what it means...to truly be a shinobi, I just understand...how to use chakra."

Kisame bellowed and narrowed his eyes with a wicked smile. "How to use chakra, huh? That's still enough to kill someone, but hell, give it another shot." He held out his arm again, almost mockingly. He'd rip her pale skin to shreds before she got the idea to cross him.

The woman nodded and placed her glowing hands above the wound again. Her eyes shut as she flowed her chakra into his and moved them both around the wound, using them both to heal the cut flesh. Kisame looked over just as Majoko peaked her eyes up to his.

"Also, Hoshigaki-sama," she began timidly, wary of another attack. "I doubt even chakra is needed for killing. I think...One only needs murderous intent."

His dark eyes widened and his jagged smirk spread across his face. "Too true you are, little witch."

Majoko calmed her chakra flow and made a motion for him to wait there. The fact that he was a murderer was intensely clear to her now. She panicked only for a moment. Kisame watched her head of tangled brunette tresses recede around the corner and then lifted the bandage with his finger. The cut had completely stopped bleeding and was practically healed altogether, save for one little paper cut-scratch held together with surgical string. He heaved his arm back into the cloak. Surely she could have mended his wound with chakra alone in the first place. Why did she use more conventional means of healing first? He knew better, but didn't stop his mind from wandering.

What made her a witch anyways? She wasn't normal, but Kisame hadn't seen anything that would define her as such. Maybe it was just gossip evolved from her secluded lifestyle. The general public tended to make up the most ridiculous things when faced with something they know nothing about. Kisame heaved a heavy sigh for himself. The night was getting to him.

Majoko returned with a little package wrapped in a banana leaf nestled in the crook of her elbow. With a nod, she led Kisame to the door, where he eagerly crossed the doorway to the awaiting dark of the night.

"See you around, witch Tsubaki," he said wearily.

Before he could turn away, Majoko thrusted the leafed package to him. "I doubt it. Take this. It helps."

Kisame carelessly took it, wanting to hurry and leave but not be so rude as to run off when this recluse offered more kindness. He tucked it in his sleeve and grunted with a tired half-smirk, "You know if it's poisoned I could always come back and kill you before it even effects me."

This was his less rude response.

Majoko shook her head with a quiet laugh, her messy bangs falling over her eyes. "I don't intend to die so soon. I can compare with neither your chakra nor your strength. I'd be as helpless as an ant in a typhoon." She smiled up at him. "I don't find myself important enough to have such an exciting death."

"Well hey, you aren't as dumb as I thought."

She only bowed as respectfully as she could, despite the insult, and he disappeared without another word between the two of them.

* * *

><p>Kisame made it back to his route that lead to the Akatsuki base before opening his present from the witch. Still running through the trees in order to make up lost time, Kisame unfolded the banana leaf to find four round lumps slightly stuck together. When he couldn't recognize what they were, he gradually climbed higher in the trees as he ran, eventually making it to the top.<p>

The full moon illuminated the tree tops and nocturnal birds as a cooling breeze swept across the forest. A nearby lake glistened and rippled as a hawk snatched up a late meal in it's tepid waters. Mountains in the far east shone like black diamonds behind the dangerous missing nin. Kisame barely noticed any of the surrounding beauty. He only held up the parcel to inspect it's contents. The light of the evening made them seem purple, but Kisame knew they were pink. The breeze rolled by again, this time stronger, as if coaxing him towards the gift. It's sweet smell wafted to him. Daifuku.

Daifuku? Maybe that woman was crazy, he thought, taking a soft round of the filled mochi. Maybe those townspeople mistook insanity for witchcraft. Still, she wasn't crazy enough to try to kill him. Kisame finally took notice of the sparkling beauty around him as he stood on the tree top, though without much appreciation for it. He gazed at the lake, feeling his fatigue from the day catch up with him. Maybe he would have a quick rest. Kisame lifted the sweet to his mouth and cut through it with a generous bite. He chewed for a bit, letting it spread over his tongue and mouth. Mochi stuck to his teeth and thick azuki paste spread across his tongue. Then he suddenly stopped and winced.

...

"Too sweet."


	2. Welcome, Ghosts

**Note: Thank you very much to those who reviewed and added the story. Anyone is welcome to message or review with critiques. Thank you :)  
>(Also, sorry if this is short. I didn't think it called for too many words.)<strong>

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><p>Strolling about town wasn't an everyday activity, but Majoko had to endure. No one recognized her, not in daylight. Not with her hair up. Not in expensive silk shirts. Not with the normal, friendly smile on her face. She appeared as another face in the crowd. Her look wasn't too flamboyant or too plain. Blending in was this natural ability that she had acquired throughout her existence.<p>

Still...today was different. Majoko walked from shop to shop gathering her supplies. Shopkeepers didn't ask questions. There wasn't anything about her that was interesting enough to warrant questions. People never got too close. But now, heading back to the east side, Majoko felt a presence behind her. She would turn around.

Nothing.

It was now at her side.

Nothing.

She sighed and quickly entered her vine-covered house. It had been like this for a while now. She had to stop looking out her window. The last scrap of her sanity demanded it. She kept seeing tall figures. Tall figures in black were always somewhere in the poor shopping district visible through a small opening in the trees around her house. Always somewhere. But they always disappeared in a blink. Majoko accredited them as hallucinations from her lack of sleep.

Nightmares upon nightmares dominated the sleep cycle. Sometimes she couldn't even wake herself from the dream. She would just die slowly, or the dream would repeat itself in a more vivid fashion until she jerked awake, sweating and out of breath. Memories never stuck to her, just the feeling of waves crashing into her chest as she hopelessly filled her lungs with air, terror ripping at her heart.

She'd spent months like this. Only when she filled her house with so many aromatic incense that she passed out could she get sleep. Now, Majoko burned through so many she had to make trips into town more often. Part of her thought that maybe she was trying to scare herself out of her lonely life. Another part just thought this was just a way to give herself more excitement. No one had come to her dark little house in the back of the village. People seemed to avoid her more than usual, repulsed by the smell of heavy incense that leaked from the house. The woman sighed and sat in her small kitchen, waiting for her kettle to boil. Tea was another help. The more her tea tasted like an apothecary, the more muddled her dreams would be.

Majoko sighed again, heaving her tired bones up to put away the rest of the herbs she wouldn't need today. She moved slowly, refilling jars and drawers of leaves and spices. Then she got to the counter by the window- the window to the back of the house.

She opened the drawers even slower, her mind suddenly racing. Behind her home was a forest. There wouldn't be anyone. She looked up.

Figures in black.

Her kettle began to give little sputtering gurgles. Majoko slowly opened the window with shaking hands and tried to crawl out. Her hair, back to its messy length, and her coat, beige and bigger than ever, threatened to rip away from her as they got caught in the window frame. Somehow everything disentangled harmlessly, and she moved forward, never blinking. Her lips were parted and her eyes were wide. The figures still remained.

"Tsubaki Majoko."

They spoke. She could almost cry at the relief. _I'm not crazy, but I might be in trouble_. Looking at them closer, she realized they weren't so tall. One was average, the other was short but large.

"What if I am?" Majoko said cautiously, staying close to the house.

The shorter figure tilted his head up. The only thing recognizable under his kasa hat was a mask that covered his mouth, but she still heard his deep, raspy voice come through. "You're the one who healed Kisame."

Majoko raised her brows in interest. It had been so long she had almost forgotten. It wasn't his face or his slightly rude, frightening banter that was forgotten, but the fact his cloak looked exactly like theirs- black with red clouds. Hoshigaki Kisame had been in Majoko's home nearly eight months ago. She had nearly cried when the tactile memory of his skin faded away.

Majoko walked closer and bowed once she was at a trusting distance. "Yes, I am Tsubaki Majoko. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask why you-"

"Eh? You weren't what we expected after he told us about you." The other figure interrupted, suddenly loosing the intimidating air he had arrived with. Majoko noticed him to be a young blonde man with blue eyes.

"Quiet," his, obviously, older companion hissed. "You can release that blade in your hand, Tsubaki. We've only come to talk."

Majoko was shocked and a little embarrassed. Her oversized coat held a number of surprises. She was impressed he picked up on her subtle movements, even through the thick fabric. But she knew dangerous men when she saw them. Plus, sleep deprivation had increased her paranoia.

Of course she saw the danger in Kisame also, but she also saw he was too annoyed to add her to his list of problems.

"My apologies," Majoko amended. She threw the dagger to the ground, its blade slicing into the earth. "I just hope that really is all you've come for."

Truly, despite her decisions as a recluse, conversation was her delight. Any subject would bring her joy, even Kisame's gruff banter. She prided herself as an excellent conversationalist, for the distinguishing characteristic was the ability to discuss opinions without getting angry. Understanding and acceptance are key. She couldn't help but twitch in excitement. Or maybe it was fear. She could hardly tell the difference anymore.

"Our leader," began the young blonde, "thinks you must have exceptional healing knowledge, so he wants you to work for us."

"Us?" Majoko tilted her head in confusion and brought her hands together inside the sleeves of her coat. "I suppose you're all in some kind of organization of shinobi. If I recall Hoshigaki-sama's headband, I can only assume he is a rogue. As I assume the two of you to be as well. I regret to inform you that I am not a shinobi and, honestly, I don't think I'd be much help. What would bring you to think I'm so exceptional anyways?"

The large man slunk closer. Tsubaki didn't budge, even when he was only a step away. Her eyes met with his as he looked up at her with glaring, almost inhuman, eyes. They stared in silence while the blonde wisely kept back.

"My name is Sasori. Like you, I have an expert knowledge of medicines... Well, poisons, actually."

A giant, steel scorpion tail suddenly appeared from beneath his cloak. Tsubaki swooned from even the faintest scent of poison on the tail's sharp blades. Although she loved talking, Tsubaki felt the need to keep her mouth shut.

Sasori continued. "When Kisame returned to us, late, he had to explain. When he said he couldn't heal himself, I became interested and examined the wound. I extracted a small trace of the original poison that afflicted him, along with your antidote."

His tail swung dangerously.

"What was unusual was that particular poison was a specialty of Konohagakure, one that even I had no cure for. So even if you were an expert, how could you have cured him so quickly?"

Majoko's eyes were wide with fear. How could she possibly explain herself? She couldn't think about anything without thinking about everything. Konoha? Sasori recaptured her attention.

"Maybe you are a genius...or maybe," sharp metals pressed against Majoko's throat, "you're working for Konoha."

Her eyes and nostrils stung at the scent of his poisoned tail, now aimed at her neck. She tried to back away, only to bump into the young blonde who had appeared behind her. Although she should have been frightened, she inwardly relished the feeling of another human being.

He whispered in her ear, smiling, "Or maybe there's something you aren't telling us."

Before she could retaliate, both of them eased away. The younger of the two stood next to his partner and laughed. "But you're just a little hermit girl."

Majoko sighed in relief and laughed quietly at how pathetic she had become. She looked at her home, the house that had bound her for nearly ten years and now terrorized her with nightmares, and then she turned towards the two mysterious men that came to take her away. She smiled, just a little hermit girl. This must be her sign to leave. Self loathing and insufficient sleep were her new motivators.

"I suppose you're right, but a group of rogue shinobi must be up to some terrible things. Is joining you really the right choice?" Majoko continued to smile, her hands coming together again.

Sasori stepped forward to say something until his partner laughed and said, "Choice? Most of us had no real choice. It was the lesser of two evils." He removed his kasa so he could stare shamelessly into Majoko's brown eyes.

"Everyone has choice," she exclaimed suddenly, her arms stiffly at her sides and her eyes full of passionate defiance, rather than the usual listless naivete. She chose this place as her home for ten years. Little boys chose to run away from their mothers. Shinobi chose their way of life. Anyone can choose to change.

The Akatsuki members were taken slightly aback. Her demeanor had almost completely changed. This meek, disheveled woman now had the stance of an unforgiving warrior. Majoko stared with secret envy at their life. Confidence, freedom, companionship. Purpose. She knew she must face it now, the world she thought had forgotten her. The world with a new place for her.

"I choose to go with you."

She retreated into her home to remove the loudly whistling kettle and retrieve her things. She left a note on her bedside table:

_I chose change._


	3. First Breath After Coma

**Note: _Finally_**

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><p>Majoko rarely had anyone to talk to, let alone two, but even now she had no words to express. Rather, she didn't get the chance. Sasori and Deidara, as the younger man was called, were usually arguing about art if they were in a talking mood at all. Majoko didn't have an opinion really, but even if she did she felt too dejected to speak up. Both of them were somewhat cold to her. Sasori always had a hateful look about him, and when she had tried to discuss Akastuki with him, he snapped back, telling her she wasn't in Akatsuki. Apparently she was to work under them in a small support team. Majoko decided she was okay with that. Three for three, these guys were in some way rude. She suddenly missed her empty home. She still wondered if this was the right decision.<p>

Deidara was only a slight annoyance. He had wrapped clay around Majoko's small wrists like bracelets, explaining if she tried to escape or attack they would explode. After the first day of silent, non-stop traveling, Deidara was alarmed when he looked back at the former recluse who was on the verge of tears. He didn't ask why, but he gave her a "safe" bit of clay to play with.

It had been two days now and Majoko still marveled at the general splendor of nature. Though the climate and scenery was still similar to Kaede Village, everything looked so different. She had memorized nearly everything in the village so Majoko was overloading with new vivid imagery of clouds, grass, trees, dirt, birds, bugs, the sun. She was sure she would go blind. She kept staring at the sun.

"So why won't I be meeting the leader of this organization I'm working for, Sasori-dono?" Majoko asked tentatively. She kept her hands busy with the clay. It was difficult for her to mold.

He grumbled in annoyance ahead of her. He walked slowly now, but he was fast when they wanted to make good time. Sasori always seemed to be in a bad mood, perhaps his face was stuck that way, but he would usually answer her if she asked respectfully. "Our leader already thinks you'll follow orders well from what we've reported about you. We observed you for a while and got any information we could, which was little. Still, your orders will usually come from an Akatsuki member and not directly from the leader."

"Yeah," Deidara interrupted. "So you don't really need to meet him. He said you'd come with us and you did. Hn. Besides, the other members will be there if you try anything stupid."

Majoko simply nodded and accepted easily as she usually did. They gradually told her what her actual job would be. So far she had gathered that she'd be in a small team that assisted gathering money and lesser information for Akatsuki. A few teams were scattered across the lands in secret, posing as harmless inns and shops. She knew nothing about the people in her team, but she was very excited to meet them. She dared to hope for a regular kind of friendship with at least one of them. Sasori and Deidara weren't the best company, but she was becoming attached. Neither of them slept. Deidara might have, but she never found proof. Majoko still had trouble sleeping. There were no more nightmares. She was just used to a bed, not the hard ground. She'd been happily surprised to find that had been the hardest change. Being thrust into the world after years of reclusion was less jarring than she thought.

A small shack came into view amongst the thinning trees in the forest. Majoko was frightened, thinking there would be some altercation between the shack's residents and the Akatsuki criminals. But, as they neared it's rotting exterior, she found the shack to be vacant. Deidara and Sasori turned to her.

"You're going to stay here for a while," Deidara explained, removing her explosive clay bindings. "I don't know how long it will be, but someone will get you. Hn."

Great. Alone again.

Sasori noted, "We have more important things to do. We can't hold your hand the whole way."

She wondered if he had hands. Majoko forced the disappointment from her face and nodded. Even if it was only a few days, she wouldn't mind waiting a little longer for her adventure. That's what she told herself. They left with obvious instructions on not to run or stray too far away. Their favorite punishment seemed to be death. Majoko watched them as they disappeared in a second, and she was left wondering what to do.

The beige coat she had worn for years was traded for a dark maroon one of the same style but better fitted to her body. She had immediately removed her new sandals. Barefoot was best. The small pack with her medicines and scrolls was set inside the little hut by the door. Majoko thought she ought to have been a different kind of recluse. As she lay in the grass in the cool forest, her long hair getting damp with the morning dew, she wished she had stayed outside. Still alone, still in one place, just outside. She really had forgotten how nice it was to be in an open space.

Majoko reached her hand up to block her eyes from the sun. Her sleeve, still too long, fell back to reveal her left forearm. She gazed stoically at the three black bands tattooed there. It had been so long since she could train. She hoped once she started again, she could remember what she had learned years ago. Maybe it was like riding a bike. Then again, she had never learned that either.

Initiative struck her like a rusted knife, and she jolted up. Majoko looked around at the green trees surrounding the small clearing around the shack. Maybe a bigger training space was needed. She shrugged it off and bit her thumb. The bite had been too timid, so the skin did not break. Her thumb was quite sore before she got through to the blood. Majoko had become slightly anemic and the blood flowed out freely. Meeting at the center of her chest, her hands struggled as Majoko tried to remember the proper hand signs. It took a few minutes, and she became slightly woozy before she finished the sequence and put her hand to the ground, summoning up a giant cloud of smoke. She quickly healed her hand and dropped to her knees before the smoke cleared.

"Well, well," mused a deep, growling voice. "I see you finally left that house."

Majoko stared into the eyes of the tremendous brown bear in front of her. His coat was thick and disheveled, and he wore nothing but an open happi jacket. He stared down at her, his expression disappointed and confused.

"What is this shack? Did you just trade your house for a worse one?"

Although he was pretending to be unfriendly and coarse, Majoko was thrilled he was talking to her. Truthfully, he was going to leave, but the bear was curious about her new residence.

Majoko bowed and greeted him quietly, "Good morning, Kumadori-san. I'm sorry it's been so long." She dared to peek up to see if he was still there. "Yes, I have left my home in Kaede, but it was to pursue a new purpose, not a new house."

"Is that so," he mused in disbelief. "Then I guess you brought me here to train."

When she looked up again, Majoko was surprised to find that his expression had softened to a warm smile, barely showing his sharp teeth. Kumadori motioned for her to take her stance. Daggers appeared in Majoko's hands, and she took a few steps back. Although she was relieved that he had accepted her, she felt nervous about disappointing the giant bear. Kumadori had been her first summon. They had this strange kind of bond, even if it had been years since she'd seen him.

Kumadori summoned something himself. A simple hand sign and clap, and he held a gleaming spear. His paw tightened around the red pole as he pointed the sharp edge at Majoko. It nearly reached her nose. She didn't flinch, but instead stretched her arms forwards at him as well, pointing her own daggers at him.

"Alright," the bear Kumadori taunted. "Let's see how much you've retained."

He thrust the spear forward, Majoko narrowly dodging by bending backwards. The bear growled and swung the blade down, which was parried by the woman's daggers. Kumadori tested her further with more slashing attacks while charging at her. Majoko skillfully evaded while jumping back to avoid the spear head. Their sparring went on just the same, Kumadori attacking while Majoko dodged. Neither of them used jutsu or other weapons. This was just how they were trained- with raw battle instinct. Still, it wasn't too long before Majoko was out of breath. She couldn't keep up, allowing Kumadori to land some shallow hits on her arms and legs. He saw that she was tiring out, but he also noticed a the fire in her eyes that came from her own disappointment and her determination to resolve it. The bear sighed. She wasn't going to stop now. Majoko lost more and more energy. The cuts got deeper and deeper. Her depression grew.

How could she work in this unpolished condition? Her reclusion had more adverse affects than she initially thought. To become this weak... It was embarrassing. She would die on her first assignment from Akatsuki. It wasn't death that scared her. It was dying without having a real purpose. No matter what small job she had to do, she would take pride in it. Even the people who took out trash had a sense of purpose, so why couldn't she?

Kumadori grimaced as he watched her thoughts play across her face. He didn't want to put her through this anymore. Majoko had become so distracted with herself, she barely noticed the spear pole swipe her feet out from under her. She was left winded on the ground as the spear head came rushing toward her face.

It did not strike.

The tip was inches away from the middle of her eyes. Majoko's eyes could only focus on the spear, but her ears worked just fine.

"That's enough for now, bear."

A familiar voice. That was very rare to her. She worked on getting her eyes to focus and calming her pounding heart.

"Piss off. Like I would kill her. Remove your hand or I will."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Enough, Kisame." A new voice.

Majoko's eyes finally focused and the scene took shape: two men in black Akatsuki coats and disgruntled brown bear looming over them. A blue hand was wrapped around the middle of the spear pole. Another blue hand grabbed the hilt of the sword. His sword. Kisame's sword.

The woman panicked. "Kumadori please," she pleaded, catching their attention. "Don't make trouble for me."

The bear's brown eyes met hers. The plea was in her eyes. I need this.

He wrinkled his muzzle and snarled at the rogues once before turning back to his summoner. "Call on me again later." He added hesitantly, "...I hope you made the right choice."

And he disappeared. Majoko's attention then focused on the Akatsuki men. Kisame had not changed. He just seemed less angry.

She bowed and apologized. "I thought it would be a while. I'm sorry if my summon offended you. It has been a long time since I'd seen him, and I'd forgotten how Kumadori could be. It's very nice to see you again so soon, Hoshigaki-sama."

"If that bear was too much for you, witch Tsubaki, you might want to reconsider," Kisame jeered.

He felt a disturbing kind of pity for her. She seemed unaware that her clothes were ruined- ripped and stained with blood. The look in her eyes was almost frantic, maybe even embarrassed. Still, Kisame had an even more disturbing kind of belief that she held some kind of power. A power that was buried under her self-loathing.

Majoko stood straighter but still slumping from bad posture. "I'll be fine." She turned to Kisame's companion. "Excuse me. I am Tsubaki Majoko."

He was quite a young man, dark eyes dark hair. Brooding look about him. He stared at her for a moment, scrutinizing her some way or another then merely stated, "Itachi."

"Ah, yes well it's nice to meet you Itachi-sama. Now, we can go-"

"Wait." Itachi cut back in. "Go change and clean off."

Tsubaki then noticed her destroyed coat. She felt even more embarrassed. She quickly apologized and excused herself. As she cursed to herself back in the hut, Itachi and Kisame sat against a tree. Their closeness brought them to the same thought. She seemed so weak in her mannerisms, but whenever she spoke it was clear and pleasant and polite. What had she been like before? Majoko thought of this too. Just the thought of her previous life made her hungrier for it. It wasn't for the people or even the strength. It was the confidence. She removed her bloodied jacket and looked at her weak arms that had shriveled in her eternal winter season. Weak. She didn't want this embarrassment again. She would make them glad they chose her for the job, whatever it was. With the blood cleaned off and the bigger cuts wrapped up, Majoko retrieved her original brown jacket. As unflattering and old as it was, it gave her confidence if not comfort. She tossed the bloody rags and slipped on tights and standard shinobi sandals. Itachi and Kisame were waiting beside the door when she emerged. They both had a fleeting curiosity as to why she hadn't used chakra to heal herself. Itachi banished the thought instantly and began leading the way. The others followed, Kisame a step behind, Majoko strides behind.

Once out of the clearing they picked up pace. The three leapt through trees at a speed that took Majoko's breath away. Only her determination to redeem herself kept her going. Kisame frequently looked back at the woman. He expected her to complain or just collapse at any moment. Majoko noticed, and her eyes were always ready to meet his with a cold stare. He couldn't help but take it as some sort of challenge. Her eyes were shameless. Itachi stopped suddenly. Kisame stopped to the right of him. The momentum had betrayed her, and Majoko would have gone flying past them had not Kisame grabbed her collar and yanked her back. She rubbed her sore neck as Itachi spoke.

"We're a day's journey from our target. Until then we will brief you on what your role in the mission will be."

It was nearly midday and Majoko already felt tired. But she wouldn't let them know. She started to ask about the target when a rumbling echoed through the forest, frightening of several cawing birds. The Akatsuki turned to her with amusement. Majoko straightened out her coat.

She smiled and tousled her mane of hair. "How about lunch first?"


	4. Trembling Hands

They walked slowly in the dappled rays of the forest. It was a breezy day, filled with songs of the birds amongst the foliage. The majority of the trio traveling didn't reflect the bright moods of the forest. One was merely checked out, focusing on his private thoughts. Another was still slightly disturbed by the previous meal. Kisame watched the mysterious young woman holding half a dozen skewers continue to eat more slowly this time. She seemed happy.

And she was, at least a little. The sweet meats were only a bonus to her chance at starting a new life. Majoko would soon be on her first quest for her Akatsuki leaders. And she happened to be formerly acquainted with one of them. Sure, he was a bit hostile last time, but it seemed better than being with ones she'd never seen before such as Deidara and Sasori. Itachi seemed the silent type that wouldn't bother her unless she didn't follow orders. Majoko had a growing curiosity towards the silent, dark haired man and was often tempted to make conversation. Though, the looks from their larger, more cerulean companion herded her back into her obedient attitudes. Those strange looks of pity mixed with hatred. Maybe it was jealousy.

"Would you like one, Hoshigaki-sama?"

"What?"

Majoko quickly retracted her offer, instantly deflated by his answer. "Ah, well I thought you might be hungry. You didn't get anything at the shop."

The blue mercenary scoffed and picked up pace. "I suddenly lost my appetite. Besides, I think you ate enough for everyone."

She held out the meat skewers. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

Itachi glanced back at the scene. They had stopped walking, and the shorter woman still had her arm reached out with the offering. His partner waited there glaring down at her. Itachi continued walking, seeming uninterested in her attempt at camaraderie. Kisame continued to glare. Truthfully he was upset she hadn't responded to his insults. He retaliated by grabbing everything from her hands. A devilish smile crept through his blue lips. Majoko had not reacted at first, but her eyes were slowly darkening and her cheeks puffed out. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Only a small huff.

She seemed to deflate after that, melting back into her usual self with a listless half smile. Kisame was disappointed but only shrugged and chomped away at his pilfered food. He was testing her limits and her character. Though she had finally gotten out of that house, she was still trapped in her own body. She would not survive around Akatsuki long if she continued to act this way- a woman of glass too afraid to throw stones.

The Akatsuki members took turns explaining the woman's first job. Though Majoko drifted in and out of the conversation, distracted by nature, she had gotten the gist of it. A person of interest, who they couldn't reveal to her, had gone into hiding. They couldn't retrieve said interest without making themselves known, which wasn't optional so early in their schemes. Thus, the person's close acquaintance was targeted. They meant to use this death to lure out whomever they were searching for. The sun was setting, and it was beautiful.

"Pay attention, witch," Kisame growled. "If you mess this up there won't be another chance for you."

He caught her honey eyes looking sheepishly up at him in apology before they turned back to Itachi.

"The target is a woman of the Kogami clan. She's wealthy and is heavily guarded. The only time she is alone is at her morning bath in the hot springs." He stopped, his black eyes glaring into hers. "You will kill her, without leaving a trace of evidence. You will go alone and we will wait for your report outside of the town."

Majoko shivered. Maybe due to his intense gaze or the thought of being alone. The killing, eerily, didn't bother her. "But how-"

Kisame growled again, cutting her off. "This is a test, you pitiful woman. If you are such a skilled healer, you should be able to make it look natural, right?" His grimace slowly morphed into a toothy smirk behind his collar. "Or is it that you can't kill?"

He was ignored again. From their vantage, the destined town was in view, a few taller buildings showing above the fading forest line. Majoko could imagine herself there blending with the people. She could imagine the herbs she would use to get the job done and the hot springs she would go to. That was all she needed really. The imagination. It was all she had. All she needed to imagine was the target...but this she couldn't do. They stopped a bit closer to the town once they were hidden by the velvet blacks of nightfall. They made no fire, lest they be discovered. Majoko felt relieved to have her thick coat. It had kept her safe all this time. She hugged it closer as her eyes roamed over to Itachi who sat to her right. He didn't seem to be bothered by the cold night. She doubted anything bothered him, even her shameless stare.

She was compelled to say something. "Itachi-sama. Is it right to assume that if I fail-"

"Don't fail," came his cold reply.

* * *

><p>The night went on, and after a report back to the leader, Kisame stood with Itachi looking out from their high vantage. There was nothing but trees and black sky for miles. They were definitely too far south; it was too early to come here on account of the dangers, but the job had to be done. He was just wary of the one they chose to do it. Sure the girl had shown some promise after healing him, but it was just a strange kind of luck that she even knew how. Itachi had given a vote of confidence when the poison's origin of Konoha was brought up. That village had the most skilled medical technicians at one point. It eased his mind...somewhat.<p>

This seemed like a waste of time, but Akatsuki was still in its infancy and couldn't be everywhere at once. They needed underlings like this girl, until their leader declared that they were ready to start with the main plan. Kisame knew they needed more time to set up, but he questioned the use of this support group the leader insisted on. It would just be more loose ends to tie up later. But he wasn't really in a place to object.

"Itachi-san." His partner's black eyes continued to look out and away. "What do you think of this girl?"

"Not much," was his quiet answer.

His partner typically wasn't very talkative, especially when he was in his meditative stance, but Kisame needed to say something. He was growing restless. "It's already been two days. She probably failed and got herself killed."

"I would know if she was killed."

Kisame glanced over, and sure enough he could see the deep red of Itachi's eyes. "So she hasn't failed-yet. Still, they should have gotten Tsuge to do it."

Itachi didn't bother to answer; he just kept focus on the town near the horizon. Kisame didn't brood as much after deciding Itachi had some kind of faith in the girl. He just slept and paced and cleaned his sword. While it did seem like a short break from working, it was still work, and the most boring kind. The sun was about to set on the third day when Itachi finally stood up.

She was quiet approaching, but he could still hear her. The witch had told him that she wasn't a shinobi, that much was clear by her movements, but by the look on her face it seemed she had gotten the job done. She had a quiet curve of triumph on her lips, and her hair was frizzier than ever. But her eyes. Her eyes said something Kisame couldn't understand.

"Mission accomplished."

The water was surprisingly warm. They were to travel at first light, so Tsubaki traded her sleeping hours for bathing hours. Itachi had graciously told her of a pond close by, hidden in the thick forest. The Akatsuki didn't seem to think she would run, and she didn't think she would get away if she tried. Not that she would now. She made her choice.

"You can't wash it away so quickly," a voice grumbled by the shore.

Tsubaki had summoned Kumadori the minute she was alone. He had said nothing until now, only eating the fish she caught for him or dozing off in the grass. The bear did little to hide his anger about their last meeting. Tsubaki said nothing either, knowing his temperament. She had waited, naked and silent in the waters. Her skin was nearly raw now from the scrubbing.

"It won't be gone for a while, Tsubaki. The guilt."

She sank up to her chin in the water. It wasn't guilt. It was this weird, prickling feeling all over, like she was wrapped in brambles. Tsubaki submerged completely, trying to replace the dull stings with the caress of water. If she thought about what she had done, the stinging grew stronger. She quieted her mind as best she could before she went up for air. The waxing moon looked down as she floated on her back.

"Kumadori, I've done my best. However you think I feel about it, I've already chosen."

The bear suddenly growled, sending Tsubaki sinking and flailing in the water. Once her feet touched the bottom, she looked up to see a figure next to Kumadori.

"It's good you feel that way, witch," Kisame laughed. "I thought you would have bolted by now."

The man paid no heed to the growling animal beside him. He added in his serious tone, "You should have slept. We're about to leave. Itachi needs to speak to you first."

Tsubaki stood up, slightly bowing her exposed, naked torso. As she walked ashore and gathered her clothes, Kumadori watched the Akatsuki with searing eyes. He was surprised to find the man had turned away from the woman's glistening flesh. Still, the bear's keen nose twitched with distrust.

"Kumadori-sama, I think it would be best if you left now," Tsubaki suggested timidly, seeing the look in his dark eyes. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you by summoning you here-"

"I'd like him to stay." Kisame grinned. "Just for a moment. I'd like to...talk with him."

"Oh, Kisame-sama," she stammered, "I don't think that-"

"It's fine," Kumadori said gruffly. "Go."

She shrugged on her coat, taking time with the buttons. The odd tension between them was apparent, Kumadori glaring at the azure man who stared into the sky. Tsubaki wore her worry visibly in her brows as she bowed to them both and left, glancing back a few times before disappearing in the trees.

"So," Kisame said finally, "Do I need to worry about you?"

"You're asking _me_ that question?" the bear laughed bitterly.

The man took a seat and propped up his sword against his shoulder. He didn't really know what he was asking. The bear gave him uneasy feelings, that was for sure. The spear, which more resembled a halberd, stabbed into the ground next to the animal wasn't what worried him, it was the bear's big mouth.

Kisame looked over with scrutinizing eyes. "The last time we met, you had a blade at her throat." He didn't miss the glint in the bear's eyes or the deep furrow in his brows. "People like her aren't an easy find-"

Kumadori growled. "People like her?"

"People without connections, who are willing to work for us and actually be of use."

"You don't know anything about her."

"And you do." Kisame's eyes narrowed. "That's another thing that worries me. By your attitude, it seems like you don't approve of her current direction. You seem to be her only...friend, right now. I can't have you changing her mind. We've wasted too much time recruiting her already."

Kumadori was silent for a while, frozen with a grimacing snarl. Something in him finally snapped and he regained composure and a straight face. The acid was still in his tone. "Despite what you may think, I don't control her. You heard her. She's made the decision. I... I can't go against her wishes."

Kisame only smirked as he watched the bear stand slowly, grabbing its spear. Kumadori gave him one last look, one of frustration and regret, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.


	5. What Do You Go Home To?

_A/N: Hey. If you're reading this, thanks. _

* * *

><p>A woman, tall and lithe, entered her home. Her hair was a mess and her face was tired, but she still walked with grace. As she went in deeper, a faint sound grew stronger. A whistling sound. A loud whistling sound. A very loud, annoying whistling sound. She sighed and pulled the kettle from the fire. Most of the water had evaporated. She stretched as she walked up stairs to the culprit's room. The door was open and light poured in despite the small windows. The woman leaned in the door frame and stared at the two lumps huddled over a table covered with vials and glass beakers.<p>

"It stinks up here," she drawled.

One lump straightened up and turned around. She pushed the brown tangles from her face and smiled. "Tsuge, I didn't know you were back."

"Just got here. You forgot about the kettle again." The tall woman smiled and attempted to run her hand through her own matted locks. "I'd hate to come back to a burned down house."

Majoko jumped up in a panic and ran past her. The other lump finally half turned to side eye the visitor. Its eyes were kept steady as its paws continued to grind a mysterious powder in a jade mortar bowl. This bear was always the same when she saw it- huddled over medicines with its dark green eyes scowling in the white spectacle markings on its face. They both exchanged a nod of the head before the other turned back to continue its work, just in time for Majoko to rush in with a tray with two cups. She set them down on a short table before sitting down and beckoning Tsuge to join.

"You look like you need some tea," Majoko offered.

The woman eyed the cups suspiciously while attempting to mask her cringe in a smirk. "If it's one of your 'special blends,' I think I'll pass."

After being assured it was normal tea, Tsuge took a much needed sit. Instead of the usual purple sludge the girl usually drank, an aromatic tea steeped in the cup. She looked up from the steaming water to see Majoko's eyes staring into hers. It was the usual stare. Tsuge had begrudgingly gotten used to it. She began talking about her recently finished mission, a simple bounty hunt in a town not too far away. Majoko listened with great interest, as she always did. The woman was always interested any time Tsuge was gone for more than a few days. She imagined Majoko got lonely. After learning about her life living alone for so long, Tsuge really kind of pitied her. It had been three months since the woman had started living here and there was already a change in her. When she first arrived, Majoko was quiet, shy. She was still very kind though, not at all what Tsuge expected in a new member of the team. Now she loved to talk, if not listen, about anything.

"The assignments you get are always so exciting," Majoko sighed. "I'm usually just stuck making medicines and poisons."

Tsuge leaned back on her elbow and sipped at her tea. "I wish I could do that for a while. Three weeks I had to track this guy through a fuckin' swamp—through mud and moss. I need some sleep. And a shower."

"I'll say," the bear chimed in.

Before Majoko could say anything, Tsuge snorted and quipped, "Bears aren't exactly the roses of the animal kingdom, Megane." Most of Majoko's familiars were abrasive, even to their summoner. Tsuge had learned not to take their comments personally. It was all growl and no bite. Megane was a bit easier to manage, much nicer than the big brown one usually. But she always smelled of the bitter roots that she was grinding.

"Sorry about her," Majoko's inevitable apology came quickly. "We've just been working for a long time, and she doesn't like the smell of the poisons."

Tsuge brushed it off and gulped down the rest of the tea. Even in her line of work, Tsuge wasn't too fond of poison. It was the stuff of her nightmares. A searing poison would be in her veins, and in her desperate attempt to get it out she would claw and claw at her skin until it spilled out with her red blood. Mojoko was quietly mumbling something to her bear friend, something about the mixtures they were making. She didn't understand any of it, but somehow Tsuge felt relieved the so called witch was here. Poison wasn't much of a problem if you knew someone with an antidote.

They continued to sit together well after the tea was gone. Majoko had chattered about all the concoctions she had made and how Sasori never seemed to be appreciative whenever she made her deliveries. Tsuge had laughed and told her that he didn't really have any emotions because he was just like his puppets.

"I don't know, there could be more to him," she defended.

"Trust me," Tsuge laughed again. "The only thing _more_ about these Akatsuki is _more_ crazy." Megane grunted in agreement.

Majoko's face went serious. "So why are you with them?"

Those big brown eyes desperately searched her deep blue ones. Tsuge knew this had been on the girl's mind for a while now. She flipped her matted white hair from her shoulder and sighed. "The same story told a hundred times: I was just a good-for-nothing with nothing good to do."

More truthfully, Uzushio Tsuge was the sole survivor of an ancient clan of palace guardsmen. After years of service, her family was banished, forced to turn into bounty hunting, and hunted to extinction. This was all explained to her by her father before he was killed. Tsuge was left an orphan with only the family records to teach her how to survive as a hunter. She didn't feel the need to delve so deep into her history so she ended with, "So the Akatsuki found me, just like they found you." She could tell that wasn't really the answer Majoko was looking for but moved to leave anyways. This conversation was getting uncomfortably personal.

Majoko muttered a "goodnight," even though it was still early afternoon. Tsuge always liked to sleep when she got back, and the tea really had helped. She's have a bath after a good, long nap.

* * *

><p>The stone hands were as cold as ever. Kisame sat with his partner on its damp palms, mulling over the events of their meeting. The leader had announced new plans and schemes and prospective new members. The only other physical being that was there besides him and Itachi was Sasori. He was on the other palm, brooding. But then again he always seemed to brood. It was slow going for their organization right now. Without all of its members, Akatsuki could only set up all the pieces. They couldn't really play the game yet, much to Kisame's dismay. He had gotten some action on the road. It seems the Mist was still trying to find him after he went rogue. Every so often a hunter would show up to provide some minor amusement. He and Itachi didn't have much on their plate right now. It just seemed like it would be a lot of down time before they got down to business.<p>

"Hey."

The puppet master had appeared next to them. "Hey." The Akastuki didn't exchange very many words with other members unless it was their partners. Most of them were still wary of each other. Kisame found himself distrusting Sasori the most because he had never seen his real face. One could tell a lot from a man's eyes. He glanced over at Itachi. Not one to waste time, Sasori got to the point.

"I don't trust Deidara to patrol our sector alone for this long. I am supposed to meet that healer girl in our third division for a pick-up."

Itachi caught on quickly. "You want us to meet with her instead."

Sasori only looked to the Uchiha, who looked up at Kisame. It felt strange to have Itachi ask his opinion. Ever since the two had been paired together, he let Itachi take the reins. Kisame only waved his sword around when he needed to. Maybe he thought it would be a better alternative to aimlessly wandering the countryside.

"Yeah whatever," he answered gruffly.

* * *

><p>Training with Kumadori had gotten easier. He had reluctantly made peace with her after a few sparring sessions. Maybe he could finally see how hard Tsubaki was trying to improve. She had almost gotten back into peak condition. Rhythm, Kumadori said, is what she was lacking.<p>

"You can have all the strength and speed in the world," he scolded, "but it means nothing if you can't keep time with your opponent."

It was true. Tsubaki had lost her excess weight and regained a bit of muscle after Kumadori had made her run up the mountain with logs strapped to her back. She was quick to cut up the air around her with her short blades, but once Kumadori stepped in swinging his halberd, she was at a loss. She always seemed to be a beat off when dodging his attacks. She always kept her wounds until the next time they fought to remind herself of her failures. The first time, Tsubaki had come back so bloody that Tsuge thought they were under attack. Gradually, she had come back with fewer and fewer cuts. She only had a few nicks on her shoulders this time, but she still had a deep gash in her thigh. They had healed naturally a little after a few days. The one on her leg would start bleeding if she stretched too much though.

She had covered it all with her usual coat and went back to making her special tea. The nightmares had started again and she needed respite from their terrors. It also helped the pain in her leg. Kumadori blamed her poor performance on her excessive tea drinking. Without it though, she barely got enough sleep to function the next day. And Tsuge had complained about the screaming whenever she was home.

Upstairs in her room were all the medicine she had been making. Tsubaki sipped her tea, ignoring the burn. She didn't really know why she had made the extra medicine. It just felt good to make things again. The order that Sasori had put in was sitting in a bag to the left of her work table. What he had asked for wasn't that much in quantity, but the procedure of making these specific poisons with their antidotes were complex. Just for those seven little vials though, they were promised a fortune. Tsubaki didn't really know what they used the money for.

The sleepiness was setting in nicely when she got to the last drop of tea. The bitterness of it no longer made her cringe; she couldn't even taste it anymore. She laid on the small futon and fell into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

><p>The house in the third division of Hakubo lied on the eastern coast of fire country. The other divisions were in two of the main nations. Nothing stood out about the house other than the fact that it was in the middle of nowhere. Also the genjutsu put over it to make it look like a pile of rocks. The jutsu wasn't hard to remove once one knew how to do it. Itachi had released it this time, and the two stepped in and shut the door. To the outside world it changed back to rocks.<p>

The house was dead. Kisame had expected at least some kind of noise. From the reports, both Tsuge and the witch had to be here. It was still daylight, so he didn't expect them to be asleep, but he wouldn't put it past Tsuge. Itachi went to check upstairs while Kisame went to Tsuge's room under the staircase.

Her room was full of junk. Empty scrolls, dirty clothes, various secondary weapons. The window was covered with a thick tapestry, blocking nearly all of the light. Behind a particularly tall pile of shirts Kisame finally found what he guessed was her bed. The only physical evidence of her being under the mass of blankets was her white dreads sticking up from the top and a bronze foot sticking out the bottom.

"I know you're awake, Tsuge," Kisame mumbled with irritation.

There was a soft groan muffled under the blankets. She only sucked her foot back in under the blankets and turned over.

"Why didn't you get up?"

"I knew it was you," she moaned. "And I know you aren't looking for me. Go away."

The annoying this about her was her total lack of respect for him. All of Hakubo was like this. They all were socially inept in some way, but with the way they had to be recruited it wasn't surprising. They lacked the brooding aspect of the hardened criminals that made up Akatsuki's majority.

"Where's the girl?"

She finally flung off the blankets. Her eyes were red and her hair a mess. She looked a bit green. "How should I know? I've been sleeping this whole time. Maybe she's out with Kumadori."

He was getting impatient. "We would have seen her."

She only shrugged and turned away. Kisame considered her useless and went up to meet Itachi. Tsubaki's room was the opposite of Tsuge's. It had barely anything in it besides a desk with jars and plants and a thin futon in the corner. The room was flooded with sunlight, one of the windows opened to air out the bitter smell. Itachi stood holding a bag that clinked softly when it moved.

"This is what we came for, let's go."

When Itachi made his way downstairs, Kisame felt uneasy. He looked around the room again. This time he noticed bandages under the table, used and bloody. He shifted Samehada uneasily on his back before returning to Itachi. His partner looked at him once, eyes red.

He tucked the pouch of vials into his jacket and said, "She's on the beach."

Itachi said he would wait for him inside the house while Kisame went to check on her. Walking through the thinning forest, Kisame couldn't help but wonder just how far his partner's Sharingan could see.

It wasn't a long walk. He had heard the waves before anything else. The sound was soothing to him, familiar. The sound was something he missed as of late, always having business inland. The only water had been still lakes and slow streams. Nothing could compare to the lively ocean. He saw her then, sitting in the sand. The waves crashed far enough away from her so the water only crawled up her legs before pulling back. Regardless, she was soaked head to toe. She didn't seem to notice him behind her, startled by his voice.

"What are you doing out here?"

She stayed seated but turned around. To his surprise, she smiled at him. Not the small smile of the mousy thing he'd first escorted here, but a warm full smile. It had been a long time since someone had smiled at him like that. It made him falter a bit in his steps so he stopped a few paces away from her. He kept the scowl on his face.

"Hoshigaki-sama…it's good to see you," she said with a hoarse voice. "Forgive me for not getting up."

The wind was picking up. He walked around her to stand ankle deep in the water. "We came for poisons Sasori asked for." Her brown hair whipped in front of her face, but he could still see her frown. "We found them in your room."

Tsubaki exhaled in relief. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting him to come until tomorrow. You're early."

His coat flapped around noisily. "You didn't answer me. Why are you out here getting your ass wet?"

"Oh," she croaked. "My leg was giving me a little trouble. I thought the water might help."

If she was really wounded, this idiot had the means to heal it herself. Kisame couldn't stand to ask about it further. "Then, why do you sound like an old woman?"

The brunette grasped her throat and looked away, embarrassed. She was quiet for a few seconds. "…I went out too far." When he didn't look satisfied, she went on. "You see, I've never really seen the ocean before. It's very beautiful. I tried to stand out there for a while, but a wave brought me in deeper. Another wave came down and brought me under. I…inhaled a bit."

Kisame couldn't hold in his laugh. "You can't swim."

"No. I had to cough it all out. The water." He just smirked and snickered. "Thank you for worrying about me though."

"Don't flatter yourself," he said, walking past her up the shore. "I had just forgotten how stupid you were."

He had not forgotten the annoyance of her not responding to his taunts. Tsubaki stood and wrung the water from her hair. "Are you leaving already, Hoshigaki-sama? Just getting your feet wet?"

"Yeah. You could say that." He used long strides to put distance between them. Kisame didn't want to suffer walking back to the house together with her.

Back at their little house, he found Tsuge fully awake. Itachi sat at the old kitchen table as the dark-skinned woman poured him some tea. She gave him an insolent wink before pouring another cup. The kitchen and its furnishings were neglected and somehow damaged, but the cups were perfect and delicate.

"Tea, Kisame?" she asked.

When it looked like Itachi was fully intent on staying to have his drink, Kisame sat on the bench by the kitchen window. He was more hungry than anything.

"No, but find me some food," he ordered, taking off his coat.

Tsuge blew lightly at her tea. "There's some daifuku left, I think."

Kisame growled and put a hand over his face. "Nevermind."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Hey. If you made it this far, thanks. Reviews always appreciated. I update at my leisure so...apologies._


	6. Look Into the Air

_A/N: Hello again. I finished the chapter quicker than expected. Huzzah.  
>But really, thanks to everyone who has reviewed and subscribed so far. I means tons.<em>

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><p>She watched him leave for the third time, eager to leave her behind as always. Tsubaki wrung out her coat as best she could and felt the cold sand between her bare toes. It was cloudy, overcast. Usually here in the hills it was sunshine all day and clear, starry skies at night. She felt a little sad. Maybe in the sun Kisame would have been more cheerful towards her. Tsubaki tried to push away Tsuge's comment about them being crazy. He was always crass towards her, but she didn't think that made him crazy.<p>

She wanted to walk back to the house with him. Once again, she craved the presence of another person, even one who insulted her as he did. After all, he was more familiar to her than anyone now. He was in her dreams constantly- the blue shadow that lingered behind. Sometimes they would be in her old home, his large hand curled around her neck as he had done that first night. Other times she would just be stitching his wounded arm forever, never able to get it closed. Very seldom Tsubaki would be the one inflicting the wound herself. But most often, they would be in the ocean, and he would just stare as she silently drowned.

She wished for the others a thousand times more than the last one. She had drowned again this afternoon during her nap. Then, again (almost) just hours ago in real life. Water was not one of her favorite things at the moment, but the ocean had been so beautiful that she forgot herself.

Perhaps she was just stir crazy. Tsuge's missions were so exciting and adventurous. Tsubaki always had to torture herself by having every detail from her reluctant comrade. It made her yearn for more. Walking up the shore, the sand turned to grass beneath her feet. An idea came to mind.

Her legs moved faster, ignoring the pain in her thigh. There was a hope they had not left yet. If she could sense chakra better, there would be no trouble finding the humming energy that came from Kisame. In her nervousness, Tsubaki's hands fumbled to make the signs to release the jutsu on the house. She tried to stop shaking before she grabbed the handle of the door. There was a soft clatter as Tsuge picked up the cups in front of the men.

"Took a little swim, Tsubaki-chan?" she japed. Tsuge was well aware of her lack of swimming abilities.

Tsubaki chose to ignore that, and also the brooding blue figure by the window. Shame had finally caught up to her after realizing the weakness she had shown him. Instead she turned to the other brooding guest and bowed slightly.

"Itachi-sama. It's nice to see you again." He regarded her coolly and nodded. "I was wondering if I might impose..." When he didn't reply, she saw it as a sign to continue. "Could I accompany you on your delivery? I want to be more aware of my surroundings and perhaps contribute more. If I became more involved, you and your colleagues wouldn't have to bother with things like this."

When Tsubaki had left the beach, she had tried to come up with the right words. In her mind they were jumbled and nonsensical. Luckily, once she spat them out, the lie had come out fine. Itachi though seemed unmoved. He literally had not moved. He never really said much, but whenever he talked, whatever the words, it sounded almost sad to her. But his eyes always looked empty. They moved to look past her.

"Don't look at me," a voice grumbled from behind.

Itachi's voice was monotone. "This would affect you as well."

Tsubaki sheepishly half turned. "If it's alright with the both of you...Hoshigaki-sama."

Unbeknownst to her, for the second time Itachi had singled him out in a decision that he didn't want to be a part of. A decision involving her. He chose to answer the same way. "Yeah, whatever." He shrugged his coat back on.

"Good." Itachi rose and put on his own coat. "Meet us outside in five minutes."

Tsubaki did her best not to show her delight but bowed in gratitude.

"Heal your damn leg before you come out here," Kisame barked after opening the front door. "You can't be bleeding everywhere and slowing us down."

She made no reply but ran up to her room. Oddly, Tsuge followed. The woman stood in the doorway and watched as the brunette ran about the room to change. Tsubaki peeled off her damp coat and undershirt and reached for a similar replacement. A bronze hand smacked them from her grasp. Tsubaki's retaliation came as an annoyed grimace while she shimmied out of her pants. She went to her jars of medicine to rub some on her now pulsing leg wound. The intruder in the room lazily shuffled through Tsubaki's closet.

She sighed while trying to pull on a dark pair of capris. "Tsuge, I don't have-"

Tsuge shoved some fabric in the other woman's face and tried not to laugh when Tsubaki almost tripped over her pants.

"I can't stand to see you in those drab coats anymore," Tsuge drawled. "I'll kill you if you go out in one right now. Wear this instead."

A panic spread on Tsubaki's face. She rushed to grab her supply pouch while slipping into a clean undershirt. "Oh, Tsuge...I just, uh, get really cold sometimes."

She wouldn't hear of it. "It's nearly summer and it's long sleeved. You'll be fine. Hurry or they'll leave you."

There wasn't time for an argument, so Tsubaki put on the olive top after nudging past the taller woman blocking her door. The hem didn't actually reach her wrists, and that alone made her uncomfortable. But Tsuge was right- they would definitely leave her behind. She was surprised to still see them waiting as they promised when she peaked out the window. Chakra filled her palms when she placed them to her thigh. Slowly, the recently torn flesh began to shrink, but the guilt stayed. She had promised Kumadori she would bear each failure until their next fight, but right now the prospect of adventure was more appealing than another bout with the bear. Hopefully he would never tire of forgiving her mistakes.

Tsubaki burst through the door and ran over to them, still thinking the men would leave her behind. Itachi turned, red eyes looking down at her hands fidgeting to pull the hem of her sleeves farther down. "Shall we," she said almost breathlessly. When he looked at her again, this time into her eyes, his were black.

He nodded and glanced at his blue partner. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>The witch had improved considerably since their last run together. Tsubaki Majoko neither fell behind nor seemed as clumsy. She kept pace through the trees, on the ground, up hills. Her obvious hard work was taken note of. Unfortunately, because of her improved physique, she could talk and run at the same time.<p>

"Tsuge told me you're from Konoha, Itachi-sama. I didn't want to assume from your headband..."

"I was," he answered. Itachi picked up pace.

Tsubaki strained harder to keep stride. "Well, Sasori said that my medicine comes from there. Do you know anything about it?"

"No. I'm not a healer."

He flew off ahead of her. The man was faster than she could hope to be. Kisame caught up from behind her. "He doesn't like to talk much," Tsubaki pouted.

"Not about his past," he said quietly. He could relate. He had one too. "Don't be troublesome or I'll make you go back."

She wondered if he meant her old home in Kaede, or the house where Tsuge was. Neither seemed like the better option at the time. Despite that, she couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"What about yours, Hoshigaki-sama? Your past."

A flash of his sharp teeth scared her and she almost ran into a branch. "If you ask me about that, I'll send you back in pieces."

He sped up to close the gap between them and Itachi, but Tsubaki felt too dejected to try and catch up. She just thought it would have been nice to listen. Her past seemed like a distant dream, a vague memory. Hearing about their lives before they turned to Akatsuki would ground them in her mind. It might make them seem more human. Maybe that was why they wouldn't talk about it.

A large city appeared very suddenly on the horizon. Panic ran through Tsubaki's veins, nervous for the new place and scared to get left behind again. The rogues didn't wait, but they did slow down enough so she could catch up. She felt the ice in her veins as Itachi began to explain the meeting they were going to have with a client. Tsubaki had never been to such a large city. Thinking about the people, the buildings... Maybe coming with them was a mistake. With her mind racing she almost couldn't hear Kisame shouting at her to move. She had slowed to almost a stop. The men waited for her again. They exchanged looks, a silent conversation with a silent agreement.

"Tsubaki," Itachi began once she had caught up. "Stay in the city while we meet the client. Get to know the streets and we'll find you later."

She could only nod absentmindedly, left behind again. They virtually disappeared and the young brunette walked slowly into the city streets. The panic did not show on her face but a certain eagerness did. As she approached the more busy streets, her senses were overloaded. Smells from food stands came from all directions. There were too many people to focus on, too many people to dodge. Tsubaki grit her teeth as the city goers grazed passed her. The sun was particularly cruel today and no shade was provided in the street. Tsubaki ran into the nearest building.

Luckily the interior was dark and mostly empty. Only after she took a seat to calm her nerves did she notice that it was a bar. It's patrons looked old and tired, just like the fixtures surrounding them. The smell wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't unbearable. Tsubaki reached to pull her coat tighter, forgetting it wasn't there. She continued to pull at her inadequate sleeves.

The silence calmed her after a while. The only noises were the faint clinking of glasses or the creaking of the old wooden chairs. The smell she had gotten used to. The woman stopped picking at her clothes and instead moved her hands across the rough wood of the bar. If it had ever been lacquered, no one could tell. There were chips and scratches in the dark planks and stains everywhere. There were no others sharing the bar with her, just a couple old men dozing off on the tables behind her.

Tsubaki didn't know what to do. She could venture out again, but she had just gotten comfortable here. And the number of people outside was intimidating. The entire population of Kaede could probably fit on just the main street outside. She did come meaning to explore, but she had overestimated her abilities. She had lived by herself for so long in a single space. Even traveling in the woods was different from this. Plants were different from people.

Dust stirred up when she shifted on her chair. She took a deep breath to gather her courage, but only managed to breathe in the floating particles. She did her best to muffle her sneezes. The patrons didn't seem to notice but something stirred behind the counter. Tsubaki tried to hide her surprise when a head poked up from the other side of the bar. It's eyes were red with bluish bags underneath, it's head bald and shining. The mouth wasn't visible but it still made sounds.

"I didn't know we had another guest," the head droned. "Apologies."

Tsubaki just waited quietly as the man struggled to pull himself up. He didn't look or smell drunk, just tired. When he finally stood straight, he cracked his neck and knuckles and reached for a glass of dark liquor. The woman watched as he poured two drinks and nudged one her way. Tsubaki only looked at it while he gulped down the other. The man looked much better after the drink. He noticed hers went untouched and slowly pulled it from her to his lips, only sipping at the liquid this time.

"So if you didn't come for a drink," he laughed, "what did you come here for?"

Part of her wanted to just leave. But she couldn't pass this opportunity. "Originally I think I just wanted to get away." Away from the people, away from the sun, away from her old life.

The man was older, but still in good shape. Muscles from heavy lifting she guessed. His physique could be seen as intimidating, but the quiet smile on his face negated anything frightening. Even his voice was gruff and deep but seemed kind and soft as he spoke with her. He lifted his glass again and looked around the bar. "That is usually what people come here for."

Tsubaki gave him a small smile, unconsciously pulling at her sleeves again. "It's probably the quietness they're seeking. It's quite loud in this city. Do you have any tea?"

The bartender smirked and shook his head. "None, sorry. But I have water if you like." He turned to fetch and fill another glass. "So it is your first time here?"

"In a bar? Yes."

"No, the city." He handed her a small glass of water.

"Oh." She cautiously sipped, the water was slightly cold. "Thank you. Yes, my first time in the city. In any city."

He laughed a little louder. "Are you sure you don't need a drink then? No offense but you do look out of place here."

"I'm sure I do," Tsubaki sighed. "I'm not quite sure what to do with myself."

"In my opinion," he said before polishing off his glass. "The best thing to do in any city is eat."

He saw that he had piqued her interest and decided to go on. She listened closely to all of his recommended food shops, places to avoid and specialties of each place. Honestly he couldn't tell if the woman was listening to him, but she seemed happier. Many wandered into this bar with sullen faces and hers seemed no different. The bartender tried to banish the sadness from her eyes with talk of delicious food and silly jokes and town gossip. It seemed to work and at least she was smiling.

"All of this is making me hungry," she finally laughed.

"Well, I only have drinks here so you'll have to go out there sometime."

Tsubaki turned to look at the entrance. She could still see the crowd outside and the sun beating down on them. She chuckled nervously. "Maybe just a small drink first."

The man was already pouring a small glass. "They do call it liquid courage."

He watched he struggle to drink the entire glass. It was strong stuff, but she seemed like a strong lady. Though her demeanor was almost entirely different, she reminded him of someone, especially with those tattoos on her wrist.

* * *

><p>They found her sitting on the roof of arguably the tallest building in the city. She had trash all around her as her feet dangled over the edge. They were only a few yards behind her, but she still didn't seem to notice. After Kisame made no move to approach her, Itachi stepped up. He cautiously approached from the side, making his normally silent footsteps deliberate so as to not scare her. He had a strange feeling that she would fall off the edge if she was caught by surprise.<p>

When she finally heard him Tsubaki turned. She was holding a bowl of ramen, the noodles still hanging from her mouth. She clumsily sucked them up before wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

"Itachi-sama," she greeted. She sounded different. Whenever she spoke, her words always sounded overly constructed and thought out. Mostly, Itachi thought she was lying. But now, just saying his name she sounded so different, and he didn't know why. She put aside her bowl and rummaged around all of the bags and containers surrounding her. "I got these for you," she said while holding up a plastic container. Inside he could see tri-colored dango. "I saw you get them that one time, and these are supposed to be the best in the city."

He didn't take it at first. Itachi couldn't remember the last time someone had gotten him a present this way. If he tried hard enough he could remember, but those thoughts took him to Konoha, which was a time he was trying to forget. Her smile broke through when he finally took it. Tsubaki went to searching through her trash. Kisame had made his way up on the other side of her. He was looking at the gift in Itachi's hands and glancing back to the girl. The mist-nin looked amused but surprised when she finally found what she was looking for and offered it up to him.

"I'm not really sure what you like," she started quietly, "but I hope fish is okay."

It took him even longer than Itachi to accept. Itachi could see his partner's brows lower in contemplation. He had noticed the change in her also. Neither of them really knew what it meant, but Kisame took the foil wrapped food nonetheless. Itachi watched as Kisame sat down next to her with the trash separating them. Tsubaki didn't say anything for a while and just continued eating ramen as Kisame started on his fish. They both looked content to sit there watching the city below them. Itachi felt strange standing there. It felt wrong to stand and not join them, so he did. Tsubaki smiled over at him with a slice of pork in her mouth. They all turned back to the scenery.

"I just wanted to thank you both for letting me come along." Her words were slightly muffled by the food in her mouth. "It feels good to see a new place."

Neither responded immediately so she went quiet again. Itachi could sense her spirits dampen a little. He wanted to say something, but his skills at normal conversation were never the best. Instead it was Kisame who spoke.

"It's pretty good," he muttered. All that was left were the bones. He might have actually eaten some of the bones too. "Do you have more?"

Tsubaki gulped down the last of the ramen broth and looked at him sheepishly. "I do...but I was going to eat it."

Kisame's eyes scanned the containers littered around her. "Don't you think you've had enough."

She flinched. "Maybe..." Itachi glanced over as she turned to him. "Do you want it, Itachi-sama? I'm sorry if the dango wasn't enough."

This time he found his voice immediately. "No...thank you." He could see his partner trying to contain himself. The woman did just offer the food he wanted to someone else. Itachi actually smirked a little behind his collar.

Tsubaki glanced back skeptically at Kisame. She studied his souring face. The peaceful look he had a few minutes ago did not go unnoticed by her. He shrugged her off after she kept staring at him and tried his best to look indifferent. If only to wipe that grimace from his face, she would let him have it.

"Here." She almost shoved the fish into his lap. "If it will make you happy."

Both nins noticed the bite in her voice at the beginning. It was quick and subtle and dissipated back into her normal calm tones. Kisame shrugged it off and began eating. He did start smiling in that brutish way of his in spite of himself.

"What's with you, witch? Has being around that brat Tsuge rubbed off on you?"

"Maybe the one rubbing off on me is you, Hoshigaki-sama." She shot back with a smile.

Kisame could smell it now, the alcohol. He looked closer and noticed the flush on her face. Some of the trash around her were glass bottles. Clearly, she had been overwhelmed by the stimulus of the city. Though he hadn't really pegged her as a drinker he just let it go and went back to his fish. She was funnier this way.


	7. Be Comfortable, Creature

_A/N: Hola. Happy summer guys. Thanks again for all the reviews and follows. If anyone is still with me, lol. The next next chapter is giving me a headache._

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><p>The house had been empty for quite some time now. While Tsubaki rarely went into the city, she was given assignments of the same nature after accompanying Tsuge on many of her missions. The only difference was that her targets had to be captured alive, and because of her healing expertise she could accomplish that. She had learned a number of paralyzing poisons thanks to Sasori and had even made a few of her own. Tsuge rarely had the same luxury, but Tsubaki doubted her partner cared. Still, the bounties they collected were desperately needed.<p>

Tsubaki lay on her bed exhausted, exhilarated. The rush of the chase was still fresh, but the sting of guilt was slowly creeping up. As much as she tried to rationalize her actions, internally she suffered from them. She never let anyone know but Kumadori.

* * *

><p><em>"I told you that you didn't have the stomach for this," he growled. "Why are you still doing it?"<em>

_"And I told you- I've made my decision." Tsubaki had become more agitated from her internalized guilt. "Just tell me how to make this feeling go away...please, Kumadori."_

_As always, he huffed and groaned but took one look at her desperate face and had to comply. He took her to a stream and picked a smooth stone from the bank. "Take this," he ordered, "and carve your worry on it."_

_"What will that do?" She was skeptical but still took the stone._

_Kumadori picked up another and held it down to her eyes. "These rocks were jagged once, but the water smooths them over time. After you carve something on it, return it to the stream," he tossed the stone in the middle of the water, "and it will do the same for your worries."_

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><p>Tsubaki had done this for weeks. Hopefully it wouldn't be necessary forever, but at the rate she was going now it very much looked to be the case. Maybe now she would catch a break from these missions. She barely had enough time to visit the stream between assignments. It was too far away from the house to be considered convenient. Still, Tsubaki had taken it as her secret spot, a place for meditation and healing for herself. When she had time to train, even Kumadori would join her to rest there.<p>

But no one was with her now. Her motionless body and silent breaths did little to change the house's previous condition. Tsubaki tried to sleep, but she thought again about the missions, the stones, the stream, the ocean. When she thought of the ocean she could hear the waves and feel the burn of the water in her throat. She quickly shrugged it off. This fear of the ocean greatly disappointed her. She could remember how soothing it was at first. Maybe she would give it another try. Maybe she would make some tea, just to get some sleep.

Sore muscles ached in her legs as she trudged down the stairs. Tsuge was right to recommend cardio- all of these targets loved to run away. She gathered a random assortment of herbs, not caring about the potency. The kettle was an inch from the stove when the door burst open.

"You put away that pot this instance," a man screamed. Tsubaki flinched in surprise, spilling water everywhere. "I won't have that smell in my house upon my homecoming."

Tsubaki's eyes glanced at the man at the door before bending down with a rag to wipe up the water. "Welcome back, Enju-sama."

When he finally noticed what had happened, he had the decency to walk over and help. He was a willowy man, tall. Like the rest of his figure, his chin and nose were sharp and angular. None were quite so sharp as his tongue. Enju was handsome though, with maroon hair and green eyes. Tsubaki had only ever seen him twice before today: first when she had arrived and again a month after. She couldn't quite make out his character. He was very amiable but quick to temper. Unlike Tsuge, Enju was very tidy and active. His room she had never laid eyes upon, but whenever she saw him he would be bustling about the house cleaning. He had even organized the women's rooms. Tsuge had not complained, but it took Tsubaki hours to put her medicines back in the right order.

His hands soon pushed hers gently out of the way so he could clean the spill himself. He didn't trust her to do it properly.

"So, Tsubaki-chan, did you just get back? The house still smells nice."

The brunette stood up, only mildly offended. She could still smile at his half-joke. "Yes. I think they'll let me take a break now. I've been away for a while."

"You'd think that," he said, throwing the towel into the sink. "But don't be surprised when they show up in a day or two."

Tsubaki grabbed her teapot and started refilling it with water. "I'll just make a green tea then. Would you join me?"

Enju put a hand on his hip and have her a wry look. "You're a peach. I'd love to."

Though they didn't know each other, Tsubaki had come to realize and appreciate the work her comrades did. Enju had been with Hakubo the longest out of the three of them, and it showed in a number of ways. Every current Akatsuki member was known to him, except for the leader, while Tsubaki only knew of four. He had also been the one to brief her about Hakubo- what it was and what she would do for them. It occurred to the both of them that this was only their third time speaking, but neither found it strange that conversation came so easily. For Tsubaki, it was the love of talking, another person's words. For Enju, it was the love of his own voice.

Much of the conversation was about their jobs. Enju didn't really speak much about his, but Tsubaki could only assume he did the same as her. He liked to gossip about the Akatsuki members and Tsuge.

"I don't know how she lives that way," he would say. Or, "I can't believe what an ass he is."

Half of the time Tsubaki didn't know who he was talking about. Other times she would laugh at Tsuge's habits as well. Enju excused himself after to tidy up around the house before he had a rest. She knew she should rest too, but it was such a beautiful day. Tsubaki didn't want it to go to waste. She thanked him for joining her and went outside.

* * *

><p>Tsuge was definitely happy to be home. It wasn't just because of the surge of missions. It was the latest one that set her on the edge. Somehow she ended up working with that brute Kisame. While he never disobeyed his orders, he made sure to complain about them at every turn. She wasn't good enough for him, a weakling. But Tsuge was promised this would be her last mission for a while so she had had no choice but to stomach it.<p>

A week and a few bruises later, she was ready to cut him loose and hibernate for a while. As much as he made his unhappiness with her clear, he wouldn't leave. The man followed her into the clearing, into the house, into the kitchen. Tsuge was about to scream. She instead barricaded herself in her room. Let him do whatever the hell he wants.

Kisame ransacked the kitchen. He just needed something to calm him down. His bad mood translated into slamming cabinets. Slamming his sword into people would have been better. A loud clearing of the throat barely made it over all of Kisame's noise.

"I didn't expect you to be the one banging up my kitchen." It was that annoying Enju. "What can I do for you, Kisame-san?"

"Isn't there any food?" he asked, still slamming cabinets.

Enju tucked a maroon lock of hair behind his ear. His distress was barely visible. "I'm sorry, but I've only just returned and haven't had time to-"

"Drink?"

His directness was charming, Enju thought. "I'm afraid I saw our dear witch princess run off with the last bottle of sake."

Kisame shouldn't have been surprised. She always found a way to worsen his mood. Even if it was indirectly. He could feel Enju staring as he contemplated his options. It wasn't really worth it, but it stung to realize that he didn't really have anywhere else to be. He didn't enjoy idle time. It would be a day, maybe two, until Itachi met him here. Kisame had had every intention on taking a little time off to relax, but being around Tsuge made him irritated and restless. The closest cure was in the hands of that other woman somewhere. His sigh bit off in a growl. "Where is she?"

"I can only guess from what Tsuge tells me." Enju politely pointed out the direction and wished him a successful trip. He did it all with a devilish smirk and mocking tone.

Kisame left his coat in the house. The sun was too strong today. Part of him longed for the dark misty days of his old village. He spent a lot of time in the light for a wanted criminal. Thankfully his quest led him into the thick of the forest. In the shade, he easily picked up the woman's trail. She was careless as always, not bothering to cover her tracks. The trail was short, ending at a small rushing stream. Kisame spotted her on the opposite bank, resting against a tree. She was in that beige coat, her hair draping around her face. Careless as ever. Tsubaki looked peaceful, vulnerable. He wondered if he ever looked like that, if anyone in Akatsuki looked like that. Most of them never slept. He started toward the bank and finally noticed the tree behind her was a bear. It was huge, bigger than the others. It's fur was dark ebony except for the bands of white around its wrists. Kisame was not phased by it, even as it's black eyes stared him down. It made no move to wake the woman sleeping against it. Kisame walked across the water and stopped a safe distance from it on the bank.

He started to speak, but the bear was quicker. "So you are Kisame," she said in soft tones.

"Which one are you?" he asked, knowing this new familiar was different. It was obvious, yet still surprising that the girl would talk about him enough to the point where a stranger could identify him with a look. Though honestly only one trait of his needed to be pointed out. Not many people looked the way he did.

"Kumara." The bear did nothing but stare at him.

Kisame approached fearlessly. The girl didn't wake as he sat a reasonable distance from the bear guarding her. He would just take the bottle and be gone, but he dreaded killing the bear if she retaliated. It would just be another mess to clean up. "How is she still sleeping?"

The bear Kumara lowered her snout to sniff at the woman's hair. A strong puff sent strands of brown hair tumbling onto her sleeping face. The bear smiled. "The drink puts her to sleep more than the tea."

Kisame shrugged. "I'm looking for that same benefit."

Her paws took it from the woman's limp hands. "I'm afraid it's empty."

He didn't have the energy to be angry anymore. Just disappointed. There was no reason to be here now. There wasn't really a reason in the first place. He got up to leave and almost stopped when Kumara called for him to wait. It wasn't until he heard a second voice that he turned around. There she was, awake suddenly, eyes still half closed from sleep. Her amber eyes looked right at him, and she smiled weakly before muttering something and shutting her eyes again.

"What?" He was annoyed again. She should have just stayed asleep.

The bear smiled too. "She said 'it's good to see you.'" Kumara grabbed the girl and stood up. "Tsubaki, get up now. Don't make a fool of yourself."

It's already too late for that, Kisame thought. He couldn't say why he stayed to watch the giant bear struggle to keep the girl's knees from buckling. Entertainment, maybe. Tsubaki's head still slumped down with closed eyes and her mouth murmuring again. Kumara looked apologetically to Kisame before picking the girl up by the shoulders. She held her at eye level, feet dangling high above the ground. The bear then let out a loud roar. The force snapped the woman's head up and blew back her hair. It echoed in the trees and sent all manner of forest creatures running. By the time the bear stopped, he could finally hear Tsubaki quietly whining. "Kumara-sama, stop stop stop."

The bear put her down. She looked to Kisame once again, a searching and mysterious look, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Tsubaki grumbled and sat back down in a huff, wiping the spit off her face with her sleeves. "Hoshigaki-sama," she started more coherently this time, "I'm sorry about that. She's-"

"A good alarm." He walked back over to her and picked up the brown bottle beside her. He had hoped the bear was mistaken, but it was empty. "What are you doing out here?"

She wiped her face again before answering. "I come here often when I finish missions."

Kisame wanted to sit down, but rethought it. "No. Why are you out here drinking?"

"Oh," she laughed suddenly. "I often drink when I finish missions also."

He couldn't tell if she was flushed from embarrassment or the alcohol. Either way, he was done talking. Kisame tried to leave, but she staggered to get up to follow him. She didn't understand the numerous glares he sent her, so she continued to follow him into town. At least she was silent.

But Tsubaki's silence came from intense nervousness. When she had first seen him there, sitting by her stream, the sun radiating above him, it had seemed like a dream. Finally, it would be a good one after so many nightmares. He looked so different without his Akatsuki cloak. She had seen him without it before but never in broad daylight. Not like she had in those few seconds of her awakening. The sun shining on his skin, the breeze in his hair- he looked so beautifully normal. But still angry. Tsubaki's guilt had suffocated any conversation she had hoped to make when she saw his reaction to that empty bottle.

The town they had come to was small, nothing like the city. It was very close to the house, which made it dangerous, but no one cared. It was too small to pose any threat to the Akatsuki or its affiliates. Tsubaki tried to think of something to say as she waited outside the shop Kisame had entered. So far, it looked like no one was suspicious of them, but she still kept a lookout. She still didn't understand exactly how she fit into society. Being an accomplice to criminals was a gray area for her. A lot of things were still gray for her.

His voiced snapped at her. "Let's go."

She simply continued to follow him until he got to the edge of the town. After eyeing the bottle in his hand and noticing his sour expression she called for him to wait. Kisame stopped and threw her an annoyed look.

As Tsubaki scrambled back into the streets and into a shop down the way, Kisame waited. It was unnerving to him. He wasn't angry anymore, not for the same reason anyway. He actually felt a kind of bittersweet peace. The witch was a pain- weak and timid most times and incredibly naive. But her ignorance was refreshing. Everyone in his part of the world was untrusting, selfish, and cunning. It was the constant exposure to that nature of people that made him the same as them. He knew nothing about her, but now that didn't bother him anymore. The past he could care less about, and the present was more interesting. Still, he hated this unfamiliar feeling around her.

"Sorry it took so long," she mumbled. He hadn't noticed her return. She was holding a bag in her hand and had a frightened look in her eye. Kisame had seen it before, but he hadn't figured out what it was yet. She didn't say anything else until they were back in the trees. The whisper came slowly. "Thank you for waiting, Hoshigaki-sama."

Tsubaki was happy to have company again. Enju was very elusive, even when he was home, and while Tsuge would talk with her on occasion, Tsubaki felt like they had hit a wall. Tsuge wasn't very open by nature and could only take so many of Tsubaki's invasive questions before she left to be alone. She loved to talk with the bears, but they still had trouble adjusting to her new lifestyle. They also weren't human.

Kisame had taken a path that didn't lead back to the house. Tsubaki was confused until the trees opened up to the clearing around her stream. She remained wary when Kisame sat next to the stream, in her exact spot from before. He must have noticed the look on her face because he laughed.

"What's your problem?" He unscrewed the cap from the bottle. "You like to talk don't you?"

The involuntary flinch was embarrassing. She clutched the bag in her hand and stammered out, "What d-do you mean?"

The smile almost disappeared when he groaned and glared at her. "I mean sit your ass down and say whatever it is you want to say. It's pathetic to drink alone."

Tsubaki inched closer. An opportunity like this had never happened before. She was excited but nervous. She was about to sit but took one more step closer and plopped down. He lightly sipped on the bottle, and Tsubaki found herself staring at him again. When she had first met Kisame, there was the same fascination. He looked the same, but so different in this lighting. It had been a long time since she had time with him this close, in real life.

She didn't notice she was smiling. He did though. He smirked and turned to her. "You might want to hurry up, Witch Tsubaki," he jeered. "I could change my mind."

"Are you hungry?" she blurted out. She placed the bag between them. "You kept grimacing so I got you some food. It's fish. The city's is better, but it's still good I think."

He was hungry. Kisame drank from the bottle again, a deep gulp. How she knew was beyond him. He tried to not let his skepticism show while he took the bag into his lap. She would never admit to him it was the fact that same look was on his face when he first showed up at her door, annoyed and hungry. Today wasn't much different.

"Why do you come here after missions?" It was a nice place, but he knew there was an issue. He just wasn't sure why he was asking.

Tsubaki thought for a second. There were many reasons. She just never had to explain it. "It's suffocating in my room." The truthfulness of that statement she hadn't verified until now. Maybe she had never thought about it.

Kisame scoffed. "You were a hermit in that other house for years."

"That was different," she defended quickly. "That was on my own terms." She laid back on the grass and huffed."Besides, if you did the same thing your whole life, wouldn't you want to do something different?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "I've been having trouble sleeping. I sleep better out here."

Kisame laughed with a mouth full of fish. "So that bear was right. You can't handle this profession and it's getting to you."

"I've had trouble sleeping before I came here," she said plainly.

"Since when?"

Tsubaki sighed. She boldly met his eyes. "The night I met you, Hoshigaki-sama."

In that moment, he couldn't look away from her. How could she say that so directly? Did she not realize the implications of what she just said? Was she blaming him? No, she looked just as confused about it as he was. It irked him. Anytime he would question her with hopes of making her angry, she would bewilder him instead. It was in his nature to go on the offensive.

The smirk found it's way back to his lips as he continued eating. "I thought you would have at least learned something by now about our business, witch."

"What something?"

"Information is the most valuable asset. And you should know to keep information like that to yourself, or someone could use it to bite you in the ass," he threatened with a smile.

Maybe she hadn't learned anything. Her nightmares had never seemed like privileged information. "But," she muttered, "you wouldn't be one to do that."

That naïveté of hers..."Why would you think that?"

She cocked her head. "I'm useless to you. You wouldn't gain anything from exposing me."

It was odd. He kept being quiet. As vicious as he was, she knew Kisame liked to talk just as much as she did. Or it looked that way in comparison to his ultra stoic comrades. When he didn't say anything, she worried he would be angry and leave. It wasn't hard to see how stupid he thought she was, but Tsubaki was very different from him and didn't know any other way to be. He wasn't looking at her this time which was a relief. She quickly apologized and stood. "I'm sorry. I think I'll go back now."

He started laughing. The sound made her freeze. Kisame tossed the bottle of liquor to her, and she managed to catch it without spilling a drop. "You need to calm down, witch" he said. "I told you to say whatever you wanted."

Tsubaki hid her relief poorly, clutching the bottle and drinking deeply, the effects instantly swimming to her head. She tried to hold onto her wits though. Kisame claimed to have granted her freedom, but her candidness would surely grate at him. So maybe it was best to be quiet for now. They stayed there in the uncomfortable silence, Tsubaki sipping at the bitter liquid and Kisame watching the water rush by. She felt the aching need to ask him millions of questions, but she drowned out the thought. It didn't take long for the rogue shinobi to fill the silence.

"I thought you would have toughened up by now," he said while cracking his neck. "Your bear must not be training you hard enough."

Her nose was pink from the alcohol. "What? Kumadori does fine."

"You're afraid of me," he said simply.

It wasn't true. Not completely. Tsubaki had know from the moment she met him that he was dangerous. Though back then her desperation for interaction had impaired her judgement. She would have turned him away otherwise. He could have killed her that night, but he didn't. He could kill her right now, but he hasn't. Kisame scared her in a different way.

"It's not that," she mumbled.

He grabbed the bottle back. He managed to avoid touching her. "What makes you look like such a wimp then?"

Tsubaki smiled, catching him off guard again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She cupped a hand on the side of her mouth and whispered, "I'll keep that part a secret."


	8. Let Me Back In

_A/N: As a rule I don't really like having a really long commentary, but in case some of you are wondering I'm going to start posting updates on where I'm at in the story and my thoughts on those things on my profile page. I've really appreciated the reviews lately, so I'll kind of address some of the things said in them if something important comes up or if someone wants to ask a question. This is getting too long! Anyways. Thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited or whatevs~ _

* * *

><p>Everyone was right. It was a little funny really. Tsubaki had just started to feel at peace. Then Enju showed up, a pretty smile on his face, with a new mission. So here she was, another bar, another city. Another headache. This contract was different, a test. It was sure to take more time than her previous contracts. She had already been searching for a week. All she had to go on was a name. It wasn't even his real one.<p>

"Seiji," she muttered into her glass.

"A lover?" the lady bartender questioned. She had been watching Tsubaki for a while, letting the glasses pile around her.

Tsubaki wrinkled her nose and shook her head violently, to shake off the woman's accusations and her headache. Alcohol wasn't really helping her with the case. It was all she had to go on. Enju had only given her one piece of advice for this mission: eavesdrop in bars. Unfortunately Tsubaki was only good at half of that action. She couldn't listen to strangers without looking directly at them. There was just a weird sensory disconnect for her if she didn't know what they looked like. So obviously the patrons knew when she was listening and were creeped out by her staring.

The bartender woman, a sturdy looking blonde, had been tempted to kick Tsubaki out after she had scared away a number of customers. Instead she let her stay, as long as she drank enough to make up for lost customers. She was doing a good job so far. The blonde swept up the glasses around the sullen woman and threw them in the sink. When she turned back around, the brunette was face down on the counter, asleep. _At least now I can get some customers._

* * *

><p>Kisame raked Samehada off the mangled body, feeling the sword's quivering excitement and for once not feeling the same joy himself. They had run into a lot of weaklings lately. He eyed his partner skeptically as he swung the monster sword over his shoulder. No one should be getting past Itachi's eyes or tracking ability. Kisame would fully admit to slacking off and entrusting that entirely to Itachi. The mist nin couldn't tell if he was letting them through on purpose, just for fun, or if he had a grudge. They had all been from Iwagakure, even though they had done a number of dirty deals with them. Kisame shouldn't have cared about Itachi's motive of course. He should be happy for the distractions and free chakra. Yet somehow he wasn't.<p>

They stopped for a while afterwards. There was a small hideout in a nearby cliff side. Waiting in the damp rocks, Kisame did his best not to thrash. He tried calmly cleaning his sword. His strange attitude he did not expect to hide from someone like Itachi. Even without his sharingan, he was a perceptive man. Maybe too perceptive. Usually Kisame would be the one talking, but he retreated into himself, not trusting any words to come out right.

Itachi wasn't one to beat around the bush. His partner was obviously distracted. He had a few ideas but one prime suspect.

"Your mission with Tsuge went well." Itachi knew it had but tried to pose it as a question.

Kisame continued cleaning and only nodded sharply.

"Enju should have been there as well."

He nodded again, looking at his partner this time. What was he so interested in? When Itachi arrived at the Hakubo house he had waited outside, but Kisame knew the Uchiha could tell if anyone was inside and who they were. Only one person was missing from the house the day Itachi came. Kisame knew what he was getting at now, and he wished he would stop where he was. But of course he didn't.

"Tsubaki was there too?" This was the only one that was actually a question. Itachi had expected the woman to be there or at least in the vicinity. He hadn't sensed her anywhere. He had been told that that sector was going to be having some downtime. Thus, Itachi himself had been a little intrigued about her whereabouts. Considering the fact Kisame had been at the house for days and, Itachi suspected, had an attachment to her, he should know where she was.

Kisame had never been skilled at hiding his thoughts. His list of expressions was small, but he had no idea what kind of look was on his face now. He envied Itachi's stoic gaze, waiting for an answer. What could he say? That he felt uneasy about the witch going out by herself on this kind of mission? Even after all of her dumb, pretty smiles, it was no secret that she was battling something mentally. She wasn't very good at hiding her expressions either. Kisame knew what it was like to do a mission in a compromised mental state; it was happening right now. That had to be why Itachi was bringing this up. Kisame didn't really want to think about it anymore. It should be put out of his mind immediately. It was none of his business and shouldn't mean a damn thing to him. Still, he respected his partner too much to keep him completely in the dark.

He had to go back to cleaning Samehada. The sword would be less judgmental, he thought. "She go sent on a blind hit."

"Is that why you're unfocused?" Itachi really wasn't tiptoeing around.

Kisame tried to remain calm, gripping the oiled cloth in his hand tighter. He couldn't respond. Any jumble of would he came up with in his head sounded idiotic. Itachi was patient though. Patient enough to wait for Kisame's final answer, "Maybe." That was the dumbest thing he could have said.

The Uchiha waited. His partner was obviously uncomfortable talking about it, but they needed to get a move on, focused. Kisame barked something at him- his aggressive way of asking for a response. He lacked patience.

"She's fine," Itachi said, at last. "You don't believe she can do it?" He said nothing. "You were the one that vouched for her when Sasori suggested we bring her into Hakubo."

Kisame scoffed and threw Samehada back over his shoulder. He couldn't clean anymore. "All I said was that she healed me. I hardly think that counts as vouching for her."

"Still, she has done all we have asked of her, and she never failed any her solo missions after only working a short time with Tsuge. It's clear that she is a fast learner. Tsubaki lived in that small village for years and was able to start doing these high profile missions in a matter of months. She's not even a shinobi. Give her some credit."

Never had he heard Itachi talk about anyone like that. It was amazing, even if it was still delivered in his same monotone. If anyone had vouched for that girl, it was the Uchiha just now. Kisame couldn't find a reason not to believe someone like him. He felt even more foolish now. Because still, even after all of that, even after knowing Itachi was right, Kisame couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling in his gut. He buried it as much as he could before turning back to the entrance and kicking his usual spirit back into his tone. "Maybe when she makes it into the bingo book. Let's go."

He would have to get better at concealing his thoughts. Especially with an Uchiha behind him.

* * *

><p>It had been a tough week. The first was a travesty, leading to depression and alcohol. The second week was a battle to come out of hangovers and self-loathing. Now, coming into the third, Tsubaki's eyes were too tired, too strained to even keep open. It all worked out now. She had learned to stop looking at people, mostly. She would give what she felt looked like a natural glance in people's direction if they started talking. Their face had to be committed to memory because she challenged herself to only look once. It hadn't mattered so far though. No one was talking about anything remotely close to what she was looking for. The smell of alcohol was heavy in the air, the bar hitting its busy time after sundown. Tsubaki grimaced down at her cup of tea. Too mild- it tasted like grass water. Kumadori had gotten a good hit on her when he found out about her new drinking habits. He forbade her indulgences for the rest of the mission. After bandaging the scrapes on her cheek and iced her black eye, she obeyed.<p>

Now more than ever she just wanted to sleep. But she still listened.

"...he is one lucky little shit to-"

"The old lady is giving me a hard time-"

"...if I have to hear another word about-"

Always nothing. Tsubaki never had to do anything like this. She was starting to doubt she had the mental endurance for it. Everything before this was just run and catch the guy. It never took longer than a week. It was tempting to give up and leave, but she then realized she didn't know what kind of consequences she would have to face. Would she be kicked out? Killed? Neither sounded pleasurable, so she had to stay. It was understated to say that her vigilance was suffering. Her head was on the musky table, her cup full of the loathsome tea, her eyes closing. The only voices she could hear now were the ones in her head. Her own capricious voice. _You chose this, now do it right. I don't know what to do now. You'll figure it out. You have to. I chose this...I will do it._

She had fallen asleep. Only for a moment. Her eyes snapped open. Not from anything else except surprise. And fear.

A voice. A laughing, affable voice. Tsubaki had no urge to look in its direction. The voice was new to the bar...but not to her. She knew the face that it belonged to, more or less. A deceitful smile, stormy violet eyes...She thought if she stayed still, it would be alright. He wouldn't notice her and he would eventually leave. He might have just forgotten her.

"So you're finally back, Seiji?" Tsubaki tensed, waiting for the inevitable.

"Yeah yeah," the familiar voice chuckled. "I got held up. Taking some extra precautions, if you know what I mean."

That was all she needed before she got up and ran out, not even bothering to care if she had caused a scene. This wasn't something she was prepared to deal with, equipped to deal with. The mere possibility wasn't even alluded to. With her background, Tsubaki hadn't even thought about it. Then again, her decision regarding her "profession" was reached rather hastily. Still, all that mattered was that she could only think to flee when she realized she knew the person she was sent to collect. Memories were all that she had, but she hadn't thought about ones about him in a long time.

The empty streets stayed silent with her soft steps running through. Wind blew through her coat and chilled her skin. It was dark, with no streetlights or moon as visible guides. Tsubaki felt her throat constricting from anxiety. She felt the answers to her solitude in danger. The house was days away traveling normally, it was maybe a day and a half if she didn't stop. Tsubaki turned south and didn't stop.

Enju was enjoying his time alone in the house. The witch was gone, the slob was gone. It was quiet and pleasant. He walked about his room, his dark maroon hair carelessly tied up while he watered the flowers along his windowsill. The window took up the entire north wall of his room so there was plenty of space for his colorful blossoms to grow. A happy tune hummed sporadically from his lips as he carried on with pruning shears. It was a lovely thing to have all of this time off, but a part of him was getting stir-crazy. Moving on to his beautiful blue morning-glories, Enju suddenly thought of the witch. Of course he knew about her life as a hermit before, everyone did. He wondered how she could do it for years. It wasn't like he didn't leave the house these three weeks. He had gone out plenty of times to the city to unwind but he was still restless. Without working on anything but his plants, he was bored and wanted a challenge. Goodness knows the men in the city weren't providing one.

He smiled at the thought, but it quickly disappeared once he looked out his window. There was the witch, pale as snow, looking like she was about to collapse. From the look on her face Enju figured something had gone wrong on her assignment and he would have to fix it. These women...Always causing trouble for him. Reluctantly he put down his tools and went to meet her at the door. Of course when he opened it Tsubaki stumbled in, barely able to catch herself.

"Done already?" he mocked.

She looked up, a great fear in her golden eyes. Her words were frantic. "I didn't know what to do-" Obviously. "I think I ruined it. I know the guy and I don't know how to handle it."

Enju still held the door open. If she hadn't completed her mission, she still had somewhere else she needed to be. She needed to run right back out of that door. "Doll, that doesn't seem like a problem. Knowing them makes it easier to get closer."

"Enju-sama, it's not the same! You don't understand!"

"I don't understand. Your orders were clear...sort of. Look, go back there and finish before the target is gone and you fail for real." He didn't have room, or patience, to put up with this. He was the senior member in this case, and everyone went through something like this at some point. If firm authority wasn't used, firm punishment was the next option. And he wasn't heartless enough to want to subject this poor woman to that.

She shook in frustration. He had never really seen her angry. She didn't look angry even now. It was more confusion, like she didn't know how to be. He felt a pity for her, but couldn't say anything to ease her mind. Tsubaki was distraught and needed to explain the situation. He didn't want her to waste the breath. He couldn't do the job for her and she needed to learn to get past this. She must have sensed his rigidity because the usual vacant look returned to her eyes and she simply nodded.

"Let me just have a quick drink..."

* * *

><p>It had been a long time since they just walked. It was a dry, bright day. Kisame didn't know if he liked it. He couldn't really focus on weather right now. Both he and Itachi were silent, as they usually were after certain types of missions. But that wasn't what held his attention. It was the same as it had been for weeks. Thankfully Itachi hadn't brought it up since the first time.<p>

It was even harder now to purge from his mind. The house was just a few miles away. Kisame refused to look in its direction, lest Itachi call him out again. It was their turn for some respite now after a month of taxing work. Kisame knew they had time but not really any reason to go there besides curiosity.

Itachi froze, Kisame following his movement. They both could sense a figure passing their trail a few yards ahead. It was fast approaching but made no move to turn closer in their direction. Both men were exhausted from their last mission, so even Kisame didn't feel the urge to intercept them without reason. Still, his hand reached up for Samehada. Itachi did nothing. He actually kept walking as if the disturbance had never happened. He must have realized who it was, but had no intention of sharing that information with his partner.

Then, just like that, they saw her. Only for a second among the trees. The discernible features of her hair and stupid coat were unmistakable. Kisame's liked to think the falter of his step went unnoticed. Itachi was still walking in their original direction, giving no sign of changing his course or knowledge of Kisame's unease. He was uneasy alright. He hated it. A million things went through his brain despite all his attempts to just shut down and carry on like his partner. How could he act like nothing had happened? Kisame had sworn he saw panic in her face. If he had seen it, Itachi definitely had.

"Do you want to go after her?" His solemn partner asked quietly.

_Again with the mind-reading shit..._"Yeah," Kisame answered, casually popping his stiff neck. "Let's rest over there first. I'm beat."

It was only midday, but he was tired. Tired of thinking about her.

When they arrived at the house Kisame felt eerily calm. All the anxiety from before had gone as soon as the house was in view. He didn't know what that meant and tried not to think about it. Itachi fell back behind him so Kisame could be the first to enter.

That woman was there of course. She hadn't noticed them, even though they were less than subtle in their entrance, and sat motionless on the floor. Her coat collar came up to her nose as she sank farther into it. Her clouded amber eyes peered over the top, down at the lonely cup of saké in front of her.

There was silence for a while. Tsubaki contemplated her options, while Kisame contemplated his. Itachi waited patiently knowing his partner was going through a process new to him.

Then Enju burst from his room. "Kisame-sama, Itachi-sama, good afternoon!" His smile was bright, but Itachi could sense his worry. "What blesses me with your visit today?"

She looked up then and met Kisame's dark eyes. He could see the unrestrained relief in her eyes. She smiled, but it was broken with weariness. It was unnerving when one considered how guarded she had been up until this moment. The rawness made Kisame even more eager to know what had happened. But Tsubaki mistook his confusion for anger and quickly regained her mask, only letting through her normal excitement at seeing the both of them.

"Hoshigaki-sama, Itachi-sama...It's good to see you." She looked at the cup once more before picking it up and bringing it back to the table where the bottle sat.

As she did this, Enju, sweating now, moved in front of the Akatsuki guests. He was hoping that they were just here by chance and not here to punish the poor girl. He didn't know her well, but he knew enough to want to protect her. "Should Tsubaki-chan make you some tea? Have a seat."

Both men ignored him. Itachi moved to the kitchen and began making his own tea while Kisame moved up behind the woman struggling to pour the sake back into the bottle from the cup. His radiating presence had an immediate effect on her. The cup slipped from her hand, but he swiftly caught it. She wanted badly to turn around, to grab his hand, to ask why he was there, but her body remained paralyzed by his intrusion. He too was frozen. His arm still reached around her, holding the cup in his hand not an inch away from hers. Kisame could feel her fear, and for maybe the first time in his life he wished that he wasn't the cause.

His compulsion took over in the absence of reason. "Come with me." He needn't look back to see if she was following. He knew it was her current nature to obey. Itachi gave him a knowing look, to which Kisame responded with a light nod. Enju had retreated into his room not long after being brushed off.

Tsubaki looked only at Kisame's feet. As she followed behind him, her deep sense of shame kept her from the desire to look at his face. She had failed and surely he was the one who would ultimately punish her. It had a beautiful symmetry. Kisame had taken her here, now he would take her out. She didn't know where he had taken her, but he had stopped and turned to face her. Kisame was annoyed at her entirely meek figure. The last time he had seen her she wasn't so pathetic. Where were her shameless gazes now? Where was her forward way of talking? Even without the drinking she had been better than this. It angered him to the point he almost shouted.

"What happened?"

She still didn't look up. Her head tilted even further down. "I failed."

Now, he shouted. "Look at me and tell me what happened!"

To her credit, she didn't wince but did as she was told. Her eyes met his again, though not for more than a few seconds before looking away and then back again. Tsubaki hesitated, really stretching his already thin patience. She brought a hand to her chest as an attempt to calm her pounding heart. "The man I was sent to collect...is a former...acquaintance of mine." Her normally cordial tones struggled. "I panicked and fled."

Kisame groaned. "What does that matter? What kind of acquaintance?"

She realized then that he was the only person she could explain this to, and more importantly that he was willing to listen. "Do you remember the sign I had in my house in Kaede?"

He tried to recall the place. It was full of junk, but he could vaguely remember the sloppy sign at the entrance. Something about her not treating serious injuries. Kisame hastily nodded, eager for her to get to the point.

"That man is the reason that rule was imposed."

"Goddamnit, Tsubaki! Just tell me who he is!" He was reaching his endpoint.

"He was my...I guess the closest word I could use would be _lover_."


End file.
